Leadership driven by fear, humiliation and avoidance — not a place for real leaders. - Branch Manager Crown Equipment Employee Review

I repeatedly observed a lack of real leadership at the management level. In situations requiring courage, support or accountability, the most common response seemed to be: avoid, delay, or wait it out. During those two years, I received three positive performance evaluations and two salary increases — the last one in August 2024. I was told that my results were strong, while I was simultaneously expected to tolerate humiliating behavior. During a strategic presentation at the Canadian headquarters in Toronto, in front of senior leadership, I was publicly ridiculed and shut down. I voiced my discomfort afterward — there was no follow-up, no conversation, no support. Shortly after, on the shop floor, during a branch visit I was yelled at in front of my employees and other managers. When I asked for support after this incident, I was told: “Be patient, his departure is coming. I don’t want to confront him or escalate it.” For two years, I was asked to tolerate humiliating behavior rather than address the problem. Later, I was informed that my team — and only my team — had to redo a full “problem-solving training” session. This is a training completed once per year by all branches in the region. No reason was given (no performance issue, no customer complaint, no KPI problem). Human Resources manages these trainings. When I reached out to HR locally and regionally to understand why the retraining was imposed, they were not even aware of the request. They were surprised, had no explanation, yet still scheduled the training — and never followed up with any justification. In my experience, HR (local, regional, and global) never acted as a neutral support or resource. I never felt listened to, protected, or given transparency — only that their role was to align with senior management decisions. How my layoff was executed (actual event) I was called to a meeting in the lobby of a hotel, under the pretense of a normal discussion. My manager sat alone at a table. HR was hidden in a corner, waiting to step in and read a script. The entire scene took place in public, in a crowded lobby with people checking in. I was not allowed to retrieve my personal belongings. I was told to return after hours, on my personal time. To this day, my final expense report has still not been reimbursed. I didn’t even have the energy to chase it — which, to me, says everything about the level of follow-through and care once an employee is no longer “useful.” As I walked out, a hotel guest — a complete stranger — approached me and said: “Are you okay? I saw what just happened.” No thank you. No acknowledgment. Just a cold, impersonal, public termination. Culture — what it really felt like They say “People First.” What I lived: People are replaceable. Telling the truth = risky. Being competent = threatening. HR is not a support system, but an extension of senior management. No one should have to tolerate humiliation at work. Good employees leave. Weak managers stay.