American Express

Work-life balance is actually practiced.

Good place to coast along unless you upset people.

Very honest and transparent business practices.

It is a large company, slow moving, and decision-making is by consensus. People who move ahead are those that ruffle feathers the least and have the right connections. Risk-taking is genuinely avoided. This leads to unqualified and inept people, who are part of the family, moving into leadership positions.

Senior leaders are part of an old guard. They make many mistakes, setting direction first, then giving up, then setting a different direction, with no accountability.

The story inside is that it's not a lack of accountability at Amex, it is just slow accountability, which is a terrible confession to make. No significantly successful new business idea in the last 10 years.

Change: Hire senior leaders from outside who think outside the box.