Pros
The fact that I made the smart decision to leave and that my stress level went from a 9 to a 2 overnight is a pro. Early on there were pros, but as the company grew, the pros became almost all cons. The only last surviving pro is maybe that Marathon will straighten them out soon as a byproduct of their acquisition of MarkWest. However, one good Pro would be that I learned how not to be as a leader after working as a Manager at MarkWest and observing some of those insane folks at the helm there - I will forever reflect back on those dreaded experiences and never allow them to surface again in the organization I’m with now.
Cons
Upper Management’s addiction to politics and lack of foresight to secure a sound future has crippled the status que at MarkWest. Upper Management, EVP’s and below, are very unwelcoming to new ideas and new personnel (personnel whom joined MarkWest within the past three to four years). These folks surround most newcomers and set them up for failure in hope they will leave, all because they threaten to change the company for the better, or divide power amongst more people. The old guard at MarkWest has a serious love affair with their rocky past, newfound power due to the rapid expansion and do they not want to change and will do whatever is necessary to maintain the appearance that all is doing well there. Group think is very apparent at the higher operational levels at MarkWest, the only way to move up, or maintain your position as a Manager within Operations at MarkWest, is to agree and not think long-term. Regretfully, even future leaders who are on the right path will have to deal with the hidden goose eggs that are embedded within the construction of the facilitys for years to come as a result of agreeing, or tolerating the political culture. Denver based EH&S and various folks in the IT department also lead to the turmoil at MarkWest, they often implement policies and processes that don’t work for field folks and bog down the efficiency and add to the confusion. The reason for this is most likely due to lack of base knowledge and distance from the world they are supposed to support and be knowledgeable of.
