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The Silk Initiative

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The Silk Initiative Reviews

3.7

57% would recommend to a friend

(10 total reviews)

57% positive business outlook

Reviews by job title

10 reviews
1.0
18 Apr 2018

Interesting work and clients but autocratic management

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The work is interesting, and can be challenging in a good way. We have some great clients who are easy to work with too. Projects are often commissioned from overseas clients interested to enter the market.

Cons

I think the key issue with the company is the boss. To put it professionally, he micro-manages to the extent that it invades into all aspect of personal life, and he can get vindictive, so please watch out if you join. He has harassed quite a few ex-employees and the reputation of this agency isn't all that great on the ground. The other issue is that the agency does not understand China, but pretends to. Most of us are new to China, which is why we didn't know better but to join this agency, but we are then sold as experts. There are many other better agencies out there.

3.0
25 Aug 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Easy access to a lot of brainpower, especially in the food/beverage space. You will learn a lot from your co-workers who are smart and savvy, often graduated from top institutions around the world. Clients are professional and amicable, and apart from field knowdeldge and experiece, most of them attained a great sense of humor. They are generous to show their caring and kindness, even you're just an intern. Believe me, clients are the shields from stress and can operate as beacons of calmness and satisfaction in a difficult time when you feel lost at your job.

Cons

I saw someone wrote this and it's correct. Startups, especially ones with aggressive ambitions, aren't for everyone. If you are the people who want meaning and purpose, a sense of calling, and jobs that are crafted to develop your personality and reshape your values . You are smart, proactive, thinking creative, and manage challenges with great grit, and perhaps most of all, you can learn from failures and hardships. Then do not look further, the Silk Initiative is THE ONE you could not afford to miss. You could learn perhaps the greatest lesson among the industry: leadership. In theory, leaders should be shielding their followers and subordinates from stress, operating as a beacon of calmness and safety throughout difficult times. In TSI, however, the leader is more likely to cause stress than to reduce it. Do not be panic, this is a universal problem even among top employers. After getting employed and working here at TSI, you would clearly tell the good from the bad. You would never doubt or blame yourself for the sheer incompetence of the leader when you are suffering the consequences of his bad leadership. It may include burnout, alienation, and decreased mental/physical wellbeing. This is particularly true when managers practice abusive behaviors, but lacking technical expertise, having no clue how to give or receive feedback, failing to understand potential, or a general inability to evaluate their subordinates’ performance, are just some of the common signs of incompetence, and luckily enough, you're going to experience most of them from the CEO. He has some great qualities and he could be a nice friend after work, but, sadly, the ability to a good leader doesn't in his book. You will learn his lesson, and stay away from being anyone like his kind. I'm not joking. You would be my position one day and you would get the importance of hiring great talents, and its difference from hiring great leaders. Most employers seek for good. Best even, but what are best talents look like? Great performance, yes. Thinking and acting proactive, yes. Do they have EQ, empathy, and integrity? Do they have their toxic or extreme tendencies? Do they display any dark-side traits to make their colleges suffer? These questions are lessons you would learn , and might learn only, from the working experience at TSI. Toxicity spreads faster and wider than good behavior, and when bad behavior comes from the very top, it can pollute the company culture like a virus. Finally, I want to give some response to some views that simply portrays facts or insights into badmouthing about leaders. First, no employees want to badmouth the place they've passionate about and dedicated to. They are very brave, to stand up and to wave a flag to the followers.

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The Silk Initiative Response
6y
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about your time at TSI. I'm sorry you didn't have a great experience during your time here, and it's true that working at TSI isn't for everyone. The high standards we place on ourselves come directly from the high standards all leadership and management board of the company place on themselves. That’s how we’ve been able to grow into one of the fastest growing brand consultancies in the market. Today, we have a strong book of repeat clients, excellent value-add solutions, and a great team. This has all helped us achieve some very ambitious growth plans year-on-year. Our leadership is busy 24/7 and we recognize that sometimes, from a pace perspective, not everyone wants to sign up for this. We try to be tough on performance and soft on people but from your feedback it is evident we failed you on the latter. TSI is a very different place today than it was two years ago with significant changes in place around people and performance operating standards. I’d like to address one of your specific concerns around performance feedback. TSI has for several years used a full 360-degree review process for all staff. Formal reviews happen quarterly to make sure all staff are able to have an established forum to share feedback and to identify areas of growth and development. It may be possible that this process was not functioning as strong as it should have during your time here. We welcome the opportunity to look at your reviews again with you so that you can help us identify where feedback wasn’t captured or developmental plans put in place. Thanks again for your review. We do appreciate the feedback and wish you the best in your career.
5.0
25 Apr 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Unique, engaging and challenging projects / work - Hands on experience with senior clients, CEOs and top FMCG marketing practices - Part of global network of distinguished industry experts - Diverse range of fast-tracked learning on all aspects of growing a marketing/branding agency - Close-knit, international team

Cons

- Steep learning curve - High pressure/responsibility role

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Glassdoor has 17 The Silk Initiative reviews submitted anonymously by The Silk Initiative employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if The Silk Initiative is right for you.