Pros
Some colleagues (especially in the development teams) are competent, respectful, and trying to do good work despite the environment. The CTO is the only member of leadership who demonstrates professionalism and occasionally acts as a voice of reason.
Cons
1. Toxic, Controlling Leadership – Particularly from the CEO The CEO positions himself as a “visionary” and “empathetic leader,” but in reality, he exhibits controlling, narcissistic, and manipulative behaviors that permeate the entire organization. He micromanages decisions in areas he doesn't understand (e.g., product development) and uses passive-aggressive tactics to dominate others. Feedback is not welcomed, and any attempt to suggest a different approach is either dismissed or subtly punished. 2. No Respect or Understanding of Product Roles I was the third product professional dismissed within roughly a year, not because of performance issues, but because leadership does not understand, accept, or support the product function. The problem isn’t with individuals — it’s systemic. Product Managers or Product Owners are seen as obstacles or threats, not as collaborators. This reflects a broader inability of leadership to adapt to modern product development practices. 3. Culture of Fear, Secrecy, and Silencing When I was dismissed, I was instructed not to inform anyone on my team or across the company. The CEO himself never told anyone I had left, and when colleagues asked, he evaded the question and changed the subject, saying things like “don’t worry about that.” This secretive and disrespectful behavior is part of a deeper cultural problem: employees are not treated as humans, but as pawns in the CEO’s power games. 4. Passive-Aggressive and Withholding Behavior The CEO withholds guidance and support, then criticizes you for not meeting expectations that were never clearly communicated. You’re expected to “figure things out” with no real access to the decision-making process, and then blamed if the result doesn’t match the unspoken vision. This behavior creates chronic stress, anxiety, and a complete lack of psychological safety. 5. Polite Facade That Masks Passive Aggression and Excuses At first glance, the company presents a friendly, polite, and seemingly modern environment. People are courteous, and the surface atmosphere can feel relaxed. However, this politeness often conceals a deep layer of passive aggression and conflict avoidance. Leadership uses the appearance of a “modern software house” to mask the reality: decisions are centralized, transparency is absent, and dissent is quietly punished. Additionally, any attempt to modernize or improve processes is often dismissed with the excuse that “the shipping industry is too rigid” — a convenient shield against change and accountability. 6. Fake Busyness – No Real Work Given For extended periods, I was not given any real tasks but was still expected to appear busy at all times. The fear of being seen as “inactive” created a hostile atmosphere, especially since any initiative or effort to create value was blocked or ignored. 7. Resistance to Modern Tools and Processes Trying to implement modern tools (like Jira, Confluence, Slack) was an uphill battle, because any change that didn’t originate from the CEO was automatically distrusted or rejected. Even when tools were adopted, they were misused or twisted to fit outdated workflows.