One of the most difficult aspects of working at Waterfall was the workplace culture created by certain individuals in leadership and administrative support roles. In my experience, there was excessive gossip, undermining of providers, and behavior that often felt dismissive rather than supportive.
There appeared to be ongoing efforts to criticize or diminish strong providers instead of fostering collaboration and professional growth. Communication from some members of management and provider support staff could at times come across as condescending and disrespectful toward licensed clinicians, despite limited clinical training or leadership background themselves.
A healthy healthcare organization requires experienced, accountable, and emotionally mature leadership. Unfortunately, the environment often felt toxic, divisive, and driven by favoritism rather than professionalism and teamwork. This ultimately impacted morale, trust, provider retention, and the overall work environment.