diverse and rewarding but wasteful direction ultimately frustrating
Pros
The mission was challenging and worth engaging with. Many were inspired to work well beyond hours and time to achieve goals. People in the organisation were very good to work with and many became, and remain, great friends. Of even more importance was the opportunity to work with those from other cultures and experiences. Sharing progress with these people was important and there were many successes.
Cons
The main problem was the endless cycle of planning with the Council. Each planning cycle was presented as the next best thing, and dictates that all should engage and welcome change, but change for change sake is not productive. The other issue is that change is not necessarily new or good for the organisation. Decision making by senior management was difficult to understand and while pressure was put on staff to perform at ever greater levels for same or reduced terms a huge number of major projects clearly wasted Council budgets. The organisation preached investing in people but systematically dismantled teams, locations, function (libraries is one example) only for a few years later for someone to propose a 180 change, and present this as new and progressive. Ultimately frustrating; some people and departments were treated very badly.
