I did it. I quit my job towards the end of June. The environment had become so toxic and the culture had changed dramatically with new leadership.

I could not work for a group of people who don’t share the same work values and ethics any longer. This was a difficult choice because I had been with this company for almost 9 years and I had built this amazing team of engineers. I honestly loved working with every single one of them.

It was shocking to see how a leadership change impacted our culture so quickly, and how the feedback around culture was not well received. The response was “if you don’t like it here, leave”.

I’ve never been that kind of leader and I never will.

Hire the right people, let them shine and grow. Mentor them. Don’t punish them for making mistakes if they learn from it. Treat them as PEERS not as objects that serve you. Push them to better themselves and enable the ability to do so.

Looking back on how stressed I was before I left my position and it is amazing how I bad it was and how I was so down in it that I couldn’t recognize the signs. I was tired, unhealthy and miserable. It became the norm.

Taking time off was difficult. I had to learn how to relax and be myself again and it was 100% worth it.

I refuse to work for a company that has a toxic culture in the future. I look forward to my next steps and am excited and refreshed.