Build a team that will win.

I use to work somewhere that at moments seemed pretty special.  There was energy across the sales floor. People were collaborating.  We were learning new things.  Our client was a technology company that had weathered the storms and had cash rolling in.  Money was in the air.  It turned out to be the hope of money was in the air.  At some point, people realized that the promises were only that, promises.  The money was going to the client and staying there.  Sure, there were little bonus's and payouts but those dollars were a tiny percentage of what we were handling.  The client was not the only problem in the equation.  The company we worked for was not building a team that would win.  They were looking to instill fear and manage toward mediocrity.  They did not want you to get too good otherwise they would have to pay out too much in bonus money.  It was frustrating to see the good people leave the program as they were intelligent and had given so much.  Over night someone could be gone and never acknowledged.  Then equally as maddening, new hires would come on the program that were clearly a liability to the program.  People that were without self-control and obvious health problems.  I never understood why a person would be hired when they had pre-existing health issues.  It was an insult to those of us who were already there.  When I look back on it, my emotions were justified.  There was something wrong.  It wasn't that I was unthankful or ungrateful.  It was a slap in the face to wave all this money around and never spend it on the people who helped bring it in.  It was a major downer to bring on people who were dysfunctional and unhealthy because clearly they would lower the average.  I do not want to go back.  I have grown beyond that experience.  Sadly, it is another example of keeping expectations very low and a set up not to emulate.