Britta, do you know "The gift of not belonging" by Rami Kaminski? I may be wrong, but may be you fit into that picture to a certain extend. It helpt me realize why my moral compass is different from that of many other people.
ISBN 9780316576086 (hc) / 9780316596497 (int’l pb) / 9780316576093 (ebook)
This is brilliant and really aligns with many of my experiences at Meta. The utter lack of transparency around expectations was excruciating. I wanted to succeed and in many regards did, producing award-winning work and getting rave reviews from clients. But in the end, none of it mattered. Meta execs just axe frontline workers while getting even richer and taking zero responsibility.
Points two and three in your “what broke me” section have reframed two years of recovery from Silicon Valley. I have been wracking my brain, wondering how “this could have happened to me” (complete victim mindset) instead of realizing my power and strength is not compatible with the system and it’s not my fault.
Britta, thank you for the exquisitely written account of your Meta experience. Very relatable. I was part of the layoff today. I reached out to you on LI, I’d love to connect.
Hi Nate, Very sorry to hear. A lot of folks I know were impacted today, and layoffs in Europe haven't even started. Might not feel like it right now, but I really do find the grass to be greener on the other side. Enjoying the little things in life, and contributing to things that are meaningful (ie make the world a tiny bit better), I find incredibly rewarding. You'll be fine. Sending good vibes!
Thanks Britta, I enjoyed some crossover with your team in 2021/22. Always inspired by their work.
I’m very much looking forward to turning to the little things now and finding more tangible ways to positively improve people’s lives. Best wishes to you.
Thanks for this post and congratulations on the courage to do the right thing. I had a similar experience recently in a totally distinct context: I left academia for good--it was conflicting with my values to the point of burnout.
Paulo! Good to hear from you. And very sorry to hear about the acadamia burnout. Sending good vibes for recovery & hope you'll find great joy in post-academic life!
Thank you for writing this thoughtful article Britta. A mental health app is greatly needed, and I hope you are able to get it done. Would love to help you with your strategy and branding. 🥰
You mentioned this in one of your main reasons for leaving:
"more senior someone becomes, the fewer people challenge them..."
Does that mean later on in your time at Meta, folks who were less empathetic got promoted to leadership positions vs others who could have been a better leader?
Just curious, do you think the change in US political atmosphere affected your work atmosphere adversely as well?
Britta, do you know "The gift of not belonging" by Rami Kaminski? I may be wrong, but may be you fit into that picture to a certain extend. It helpt me realize why my moral compass is different from that of many other people.
ISBN 9780316576086 (hc) / 9780316596497 (int’l pb) / 9780316576093 (ebook)
Peter Moleman, @molemanpeter.bsky.social
https://breininactie.com/the-brain-in-action/
Thank you Peter - I will check it out!
This is brilliant and really aligns with many of my experiences at Meta. The utter lack of transparency around expectations was excruciating. I wanted to succeed and in many regards did, producing award-winning work and getting rave reviews from clients. But in the end, none of it mattered. Meta execs just axe frontline workers while getting even richer and taking zero responsibility.
Points two and three in your “what broke me” section have reframed two years of recovery from Silicon Valley. I have been wracking my brain, wondering how “this could have happened to me” (complete victim mindset) instead of realizing my power and strength is not compatible with the system and it’s not my fault.
Thank you 👏🏻
Britta, thank you for the exquisitely written account of your Meta experience. Very relatable. I was part of the layoff today. I reached out to you on LI, I’d love to connect.
Hi Nate, Very sorry to hear. A lot of folks I know were impacted today, and layoffs in Europe haven't even started. Might not feel like it right now, but I really do find the grass to be greener on the other side. Enjoying the little things in life, and contributing to things that are meaningful (ie make the world a tiny bit better), I find incredibly rewarding. You'll be fine. Sending good vibes!
Thanks Britta, I enjoyed some crossover with your team in 2021/22. Always inspired by their work.
I’m very much looking forward to turning to the little things now and finding more tangible ways to positively improve people’s lives. Best wishes to you.
Thanks for this post and congratulations on the courage to do the right thing. I had a similar experience recently in a totally distinct context: I left academia for good--it was conflicting with my values to the point of burnout.
Paulo! Good to hear from you. And very sorry to hear about the acadamia burnout. Sending good vibes for recovery & hope you'll find great joy in post-academic life!
really well articulated !
Thanks for this Britta
Thank you Paul for the support, always.
It feels so good to leave Meta! Good for you for living your values- it's not always easy in the career space.
Thank you for writing this thoughtful article Britta. A mental health app is greatly needed, and I hope you are able to get it done. Would love to help you with your strategy and branding. 🥰
Great article Britta.
I appreciate you coming forward and writing this.
You mentioned this in one of your main reasons for leaving:
"more senior someone becomes, the fewer people challenge them..."
Does that mean later on in your time at Meta, folks who were less empathetic got promoted to leadership positions vs others who could have been a better leader?
Just curious, do you think the change in US political atmosphere affected your work atmosphere adversely as well?
Thanks again for sharing your experiences.