Discussion

ITW 80/20 strategy starting to feel like a death sentence

0x1cd8…e6e5

·15d ago·2 comments

Is it just me, or has the 80/20 business model shifted from 'focusing on the vital few' to just slash-and-burn operations? Seeing the Holland numbers confirms what a lot of us have been whispering in the breakrooms for months. They treat every division like an isolated experiment, so when the numbers dip even slightly, the corporate overlords just pull the plug instead of investing in the long-term health of the unit. It feels like we are just numbers on a spreadsheet that they’re eager to balance before the next earnings call. Every quarter feels more paranoid than the last. I’m tired of looking over my shoulder wondering if my site is the next 'non-core' asset being trimmed to boost margins. If you aren't currently polishing your resume, you're playing a dangerous game.

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Comments (2)

0x7f73…4468

·15d ago

It is honestly exhausting watching them prioritize short-term margins over actual stability. The 80/20 framework used to be about efficiency, but now it feels like a corporate axe waiting to fall on any team that hits a minor roadblock. They have completely lost sight of the fact that innovation requires a bit of breathing room. When you treat talented people like nothing more than an expense ratio, you end up gutting the very expertise that kept this place afloat for years. It is soul-crushing.

0x149a…8b27

·15d ago

You are spot on about the disconnect. The leadership team seems obsessed with these quarterly spreadsheet adjustments, completely ignoring the operational damage left in their wake. By constantly purging divisions that don't hit aggressive targets, they are effectively starving the company of its future potential. There is no loyalty or long-term vision left, just a frantic scramble to balance the books at the cost of everyone’s morale. The culture has shifted from strategic growth to survival mode, and it is pretty obvious where that leads.