Posted on 04/09/2015 11:48:50 PM PDT by Swordmaker
Apple has been accused by a former employee of going against Steve Jobs' core values through a "soul-limiting entrenched dogma" that operates on a "toxic culture of manipulation, intimidation, threats and politics."
The criticism of the Cupertino company comes from ex-employee Ben Farrell in a blogpost detailing his experiences working as a customer service manager for the past two years.
"I am no longer part of the collective iCult machine whose dirty, worn-out, greasy and naive internal mechanisms of bullying, harassment and mind-games push out shiny and polished iPhones every year. It is ironic that one of the world's largest companies and one that prides itself on innovation, creativity and 'breaking the mould', operates on such soul-limiting entrenched dogma," Farrell wrote.
Farrell accused the company of manipulating and intimidating employees through a culture of passive aggression and sarcasm, lamenting that: "Sickness, family emergencies, and even weddings are given no respect at Apple."
Team spirit is described as non existent, while meetings at Apple are described as filled with "toxic agendas designed to deliberately trip people up, make fools of the less respected and call people out".
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
Steve Jobs, 2005
It is not the first time the working conditions at the technology giant have been criticised. Former director of internet technologies Don Melton spoke of unreasonable demands placed on him and his colleagues at Apple in a podcast in 2014.
Apple is yet to respond to a request for comment from IBTimes UK regarding Melton and Farrell's comments.
Farrell claims to have left at the company "just at the right time", foreseeing further pressures and abuses at the new Apple Campus.
"Is it a coincidence that the new Apple Campus looks like a giant spaceship?" Farrell wrote. "Maybe the plan is for everyone to drink poisoned 'Kool-Aid' before ascending to the mother ship.
"For a company that claims to enhance people's lives through technology - they know nothing about life. Nothing at all. I'm disheartened as I loved Apple. I loved their products and I've been an advocate for what they allegedly stand for.
"Unfortunately I've seen behind their glossy and polished stainless steel exterior, I've walked through their frosted glass doors and seen a toxic culture of manipulation, intimidation, threats and politics that are so incongruent to the values they preach."
Assuming this guy is who he claims to be, his stories could take place at most software — and practically any hardware — company in the Valley.
There’s a lot of competition and pressure out there, kid, especially in this Obanomy. Cowboy up.
I am not a financial advisor and no one should take advice from strangers,.
That said, the July and October options onAAPL are extremely attractive in the $150-160 range
But a few years of dealing with incompetent suppliers, surly customers, indifferent employees, and rapacious government will no doubt turn you into the exact jerk of a boss you used to hate. :)
Steve Jobs was the Indispensible Man at Apple.
Their tremendous success was the result of his leadership.
There is no particular reason to think they will be successful without it.
Sure, they will cruise for a while, perhaps quite a while, on the work that has been done by those that came before. But, eventually, their momentum will wind down and they will become a mediocre company.
Right now, the bulk of their efforts are being expended to make absolutely sure no new visionary will be able to penetrate the bureaucracy to save them.
(BTW, there is no way on God’s Green Earth Steve Jobs would have released a wristwatch with an 18 hour battery life.)
You never know what or whom to believe. One time I was about to get a new manager and someone warned me...”Oh, I had her and she was terrible! She was a micromanager who stood at the door of my cubicle and watched me work all of the time... always checking behind me!” Well, as it turns out, she never did that to me. She was fine. The person who told me that needed to be micromanaged.
But that being said, if what this guy says it true, I would never be able to endure it. I would dig ditches before I would put up with this passive aggressive, back stabbing environment.
My advice is when your personal values and corporate values conflict, you must make one of those career and life changing decisions. Either go their way or yours.
Nothing is forever in the corporate world. You are only worth what you can contribute to the corporation and sometimes not even that. Always maintain your marketable skills knowing the day will come when you WILL part ways with your current employer. The first day on your new job start planning your exit strategy because that day will come sooner or later.
In other words you must have knowledge and skills that some corporation needs if you are to keep working in your field. If you’re not learning and earning, someday you will wake up to find yourself out of a job and without the marketable skills to find a new one. Technology moves fast, so keep up and attain new knowledge in areas that will improve your marketable skills.
Personally, I find that hands on and take charge people always have plenty of job opportunities. Failed managers, administrators, and decision makers are a dime a dozen. OTH, those that are successful, can pick their jobs and salaries. So try to achieve success in all you do. And even if you fail, try again. Most success is built on previous failures. Everybody roots for the underdog (unless he is Al Gore).
That being said, Steve Jobs was an a$$hole who molded a corporate entity that was a personification of his values. Jobs is gone but the corporation lingers on for lack of another Steve Jobs. Whether you agreed or disagreed with Jobs, it was always your decision whether to go or stay.
Ping for later
After seeing CEO Cook toss his Nazi temper fit at Indiana, I am not surprised. Apple sounds like the cult of Scientology.
Barbara Corcoran weeps. Haven’t Apple learned to “shoot the dogs early”?
Did David Miscavige take over for Jobs?
Sounds just like Medtronic - or any other major medical device manufacturer for that matter (both the interview process and the corporate culture). Heck, it sounds like almost any large corporation...
I agree with you. I did not work directly for Apple, but I worked at a boutique IP law firm in Houston that did a lot of work for them. Many nights I missed school functions because I was stuck at work until midnight.
After working with Apple employees and inventors for over 4 years, I vowed to NEVER own an Apple product. I’m a Samsung gal. I just could not in good conscience buy anything from them after the way they treated me.
I am fortunate now to work for a very family friendly company.
Perfect leftists!
He’s giving Steve Jobs too much credit here, probably because Jobs is dead — basically, the atmosphere he describes is what Steve Jobs built. I don’t doubt any of it, but he’s also a sissy-pants who needs to try working in a real job instead, see how he likes that.
Clear, this is a case study of ONE embittered guy who claims he quit, but I bet he was fired, if he ever worked for Apple at all. . . and other Apple employees are calling foul on this guy. Some are claiming his story does not ring true for the position he is claiming he held and the work he claims he was ordered to do: the job descriptions don't agree. . . a product marketing wonk is just not under that kind of pressure. Many others claim that it is/was a wonderful place to work. Sorry, if that doesn't meet your pre-conceived notions of Apple as an employer but that is the way most employees are say it is.
If this guy was ever an Apple employee at all, he lasted two years or so. . . and I just don't believe he quit. i think he either quit under threat of firing or was fired outright. His attitude was far too laissez faire about his work to be successful. He was all about the perks, without the work to earn them.
I know nothing about Apple and I didn't mean to pass judgment on the corporation. I think Jobs was not always good with people. Perhaps his company does much better.
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