Psychologically unsafe environment from day one
Leadership celebrates certain behaviors publicly, then punishes you for them privately
No one tells you what "good" looks like until you're already failing
Constant moving targets and shifting expectations without clear communication
You're expected to read minds about what leadership actually wants
Feedback comes through backchannel conversations, not direct communication
When you ask for clarity or concrete examples, you're told you "should just know"
Management admits the company is struggling with growth but makes it your personal failure
Speaking up or asking questions gets labeled as "not understanding the role"
Zero psychological safety to admit you don't know something or need help
Documentation is nonexistent - everything is verbal until suddenly it matters legally
You'll be told contradictory things: you're doing great, also you're failing, also maybe this job isn't for you
Management treats performance issues as character flaws rather than coaching opportunities
Company culture feels like walking on eggshells while also being told to "move fast and break things"
Deeply toxic environment masked as "startup culture" and "high performance." You'll never know where you stand because leadership doesn't know where they stand. They'll make you feel like you're crazy for not understanding expectations that were never clearly communicated in the first place.
The company has serious dysfunction at the leadership level and instead of fixing systems, they cycle through people and blame individuals for systemic failures. You'll question your own competence when really the environment is just fundamentally broken.
If you value your mental health, keep looking. There are plenty of actual high-performing companies that don't achieve it through psychological manipulation and gaslighting.
