This Forest rep sent this letter to tons of people at Forest via company email!!! DID YOU GUYS GET IT AND READ IT????? AMAZING!!! GOOD FOR DUANE
12-20-2011
I am writing this letter to describe my experience with Forest Pharmaceuticals, as well as the ideas of honor, loyalty, and principles. These are my opinions of my work environment at Forest Pharmaceuticals along with examples of individuals’ behavior that contributed these opinions. I teach my children to defend their principles and beliefs with vigor. I teach them to defend their integrity with a vengeance. This is meant to teach them not to let anyone take advantage of them in any situation or for them to sacrifice their core beliefs for the sake of fitting in.
This is important when discussing my work experience with Forest since I chose to join the company in 2007. During my interview, I was handed a brochure that described Forest as being a great place to work that held family in high regard. I took this as Forest being different than a previous larger pharmaceutical company I worked for that made their employees feel more like a number than a person. I was excited about joining a company that presented an atmosphere of loyalty and dedication to their employees.
Having been a successful manager in the IT field, I understand the qualities it takes to be successful as well as the challenges that arise supervising multiple employees. Each employee presents its different set of challenges in their skill level, presentation style, and their personality. A successful manager is expected to get the most out of each employee by guiding them through a coaching process of promoting their strengths and encouraging improvement in their weaknesses. Any manager will tell you that some of their best employees are often the most challenging with each unique personality and individual expertise.
I have had three managers since joining Forest in 2007. I worked under my first manager for roughly three years and had varying degrees of success. What made my first manager such a great manager was his ability to treat each employee with respect and embraced individual thought with regard to each representative’s approach to their territory. He did not try to employ a “one size fits all” mentality to improve sales in each territory and most important, knew how to get the most out of each representative. This takes a high level of people skills and a strong understanding of developing employees that will strive to perform well for their manager. This was not only the case for me, but was discussed with me by all of his representatives in our division. My performance mattered to me and I wanted to improve each and every day. I was never able to reach President’s Club during his tenure (he stepped down to become a territory representative), but I never finished the year in the bottom fifty percent. I thank him for giving me the opportunity to grow as a pharmaceutical sales representative and guiding me for future success.
My second manager came in July 2010. Now, you must know that I have won multiple representative of the quarter awards and been recognized for my leadership, initiative, and team work under my first manager. This manager began our working relationship by telling me I am lazy, just going through the motions, and I have no impact with my providers. If that were true, how have I been winning awards? Next, my second manager directs his team at a POA to never discuss managed care during any detail to our physicians. He repeatedly claims that managed care doesn’t matter to a physician. He says it worked for him before in another territory and it will work here. This the “one size fits all” mentality that already shows me this is going to be very difficult.
This begins four months of a continuous borage of criticism without any support for my efforts or work ethic to improve in his eyes. It was only four months because, in a natural transition, this manager was promoted to the position of Regional Account Manager. Makes sense right? Have a person that did not see the relevance and importance of managed care to a position promoting Forest products to managed care companies.
We have now come to my current manager, Tunisia Carter. She became my manager in January 2011 and has continued the constant degrading remarks about my performance. For a little background, Tunsia Carter and I worked together during her time as a Specialty sales representative in my territory. When she moved on to become an RST, she promoted me as being a fantastic representative that would be a great Specialty representative for our territory. Now that she is my manager, she states that I have shown a lack of ability to provide impact with any of my physicians. At no point has Tunsia Carter asked me why my performance has deteriorated. This is also true of my Regional Manger, Chris Bain. That discussion will be provided later. Tunisia Carter’s method of observation involves quietly standing next to her employee with her smart phone in hand tapping away of every word uttered by both the representative and the provider. This continues when she is tapping away on her computer during any lunch and learn and not engaging any of the staff or providers, even after they say hello. I have had several instances of asking me not to bring her back or having to apologize for her rude behavior. This was especially destructive in an office in Blakley, GA and Tallahassee, FL where it took me a long time to build a relationship that would allow me access to these physicians even during a lunch and learn.
Tunsia Carter’s counterpart, Mike Geer, has played a role as well. This is not to be construed for any engagement of personal attacks, rather an environment of constant negative feedback without any encouragement for success, no matter how small. The following action points to their “one size fits all” mentality. Since my first manager, it has seemed we have repeatedly (even during the quarter) had to change call routing from a four week, to a three week, then to a two week routing schedule. Their reasoning was other territories were doing it. This constant change (we can all expect some change) has not allowed for any continuity for our schedules and most importantly for our providers. Constant rescheduling and canceling is not helpful in sales. Another example of the “one size fits all” mentality is Tunisia Carter’s direction for the Quarter 4 2012 and Vybriid. She directed her team to focus on a managed care segment that, yes is on Tier 2, but represents less than 3% of our territory for the SSRI market. It is much larger in her other territories, but rather than being creative or consulting her representatives that actually work in the territory, we get the blanket for all. One example of negative feedback involves following the Forest policy of not providing more than two lunches per month per provider in an office. Our team developed a lunch matrix that kept up with our lunches so as not to violate this policy. During a team meeting, Mike Geer suggested we, “do what you have to do” to improve performance. I asked him did that include violating this expense policy and he said, “Did I say that? I said do what you have to do.” I asked him to not speak in vague terms like a robot and state your intentions. I am a firm believer in saying what you mean and mean what you say. Mike Geer then asked me to step away for a private conversation in which he asked me, “Do you want to play offense or defense?” I asked him to explain what he meant and he said I am always trying to challenge management. I explained following management does not involve my violating company policy.
I later called the Expense Department and asked about what would happen when anyone violated this policy. The person I spoke with laughed and said nothing really, just an email from your manager stating a violation. I stated a manager all but directed our team to violate said policy and they laughed again saying, “I doubt a manager would be dumb enough to say that.”
I believe this constant negative leadership from Tunisia Carter and Mike Geer has only provided a work environment of animosity among the team. There was a time our team had a very good working relationship and our territory performed much better. There are members of the team now that actually keep a diary of all interactions only to quickly report anything to the managers. I am all for holding your counterparts accountable for true violations and reporting such activity to your managers. However, it has gotten to the point where any discussion contrary to the ideas presented by our managers is then returned to them promoting a team member as being “negative”.
This lack of loyalty and honor among team members, Tunisia Carter, and Mike Geer was clear during the termination of a team member in March 2011. I am not defending the reason for his termination, only the manner in which it was executed. Tunisia Carter asked the employee to meet her at his sample storage; giving no reason for her request under HR direction. Two other team members (not I) were then asked to be there as well; again following policy and giving no reason for the request. I then received a text from one of the two team members stating that my team mate was getting fired. I asked how she knew that and she stated Mike Geer had told her. He also told her that my former manager (remember he stepped down to a rep position) would be transferring into our territory. She asked me not to tell Mike Geer she had informed me via text. I texted my former manager to welcome him to the territory and his reply was, “I look forward to working with you.” He said he would be starting in two weeks. All of this happened before my colleague even knew he was going to be terminated. I asked Tunisia Carter about this and she quickly diverted her eyes to her computer during a meeting on the same day and said she knew nothing about it. Really? This was the person who hired her, had a significant role in her promotion to Specialty representative and she didn’t know anything when her counterpart already told his subordinate? In addition, this may be wrong but it is my understanding that any open position must be posted (we have all seen the email for Sales Force Opportunity). I never saw personally an email for posting this position. However, I did see a post on an obscure job board; the very same day he was terminated. I understand the legal ramifications involved in HR, but there is still an honorable way to treat people. Also on this same day, I was handed a letter of warning about performance. I feel this, as my counterpart before me, was a personal attack to void this team of any outspoken employees and restrict any individual thought.
After all this, I told my team that I will only speak if there is a third party present and will not detour from the direction of management. This was a significant change when they would continuously ask me to engage managers with questions at POAs or team meetings because they were afraid to ask. This also would include handling any issues with team members not performing up to our own team expectations. When coming to the conclusion this team had lost its loyalty to each other (in no small part due to our managerial leadership), I told them they were weak individuals and weak representatives.
Weak individuals because they lack the courage and fortitude to discuss any issues they may have with a fellow employee, even when asked up front by management to get everything out in the open. Weak representatives because they lack individual thought or input other that what their manager told them on how to improve performance and merely regurgitate product information without asking the simplest of questions, “why aren’t you prescribing (insert drug)?” I informed their manager, Mike Geer, of this as well. I, of course, was reprimanded for saying this by my manager. Tunisia Carter’s reasoning was it was too negative. How is it management may continuously degrade us, but when someone points out a concern about deficiencies in character or job skills, I am reprimanded? Could it be because it is a reflection on their own lack of skills to sufficiently develop their representatives and they are lashing out with the hope know one will notice? As I mentioned, our territory has not performed well for sometime now. I took a four month LOA and when I came back I saw the rankings plummet in my absence. The team said it was a lack of voice. Management says it is a lack of impact. Maybe it was due to the numerous calls I received on leave from offices needing samples. Maybe it was because important offices were being missed. On my return, I saw a very prominent doctor that is, let’s just say extremely influential for Medicaid. He asked how things were going as he hasn’t seen our Specialty representatives in months. Really? How can something like this happen when our Specialty representatives are supposed to be much more capable in sales skills and already have the relationships needed to be successful and lead our team? That’s why they got the position right? I would guess these “lateral leaders” only mimic the lack of leadership from their own managers. And if this is not known by the management then it is worse than I thought.
The constant negative feedback to individuals and as a team has not served us well. This questions the method of motivation by Tunisia Carter and Mike Geer. In the economy we are in, many companies are downsizing just to stay alive themselves. It is the nature of business. However, the constant threat of termination is no way to motivate a work force. Working under this “idea” of motivation only will encourage an employee to work just hard enough not to lose their job until they can find another. With that premise, how much production do you think a manager will actually get from that employee? What do you think it does for an employee’s morale or an entire team? I wonder if this is being directed to them by upper management. Is this being pushed down by my Regional Manager, Chris Bain? Chris Bain came roaring into the Regional manger position stating that no representative will be in the bottom fifty percent again (which is statistically impossible) and then told by our managers this means we will find someone else on more than one occasion.
I also would like to discuss my earlier statement of Forest portraying itself as a company that cares about its employees and the “work/life” balance. I cannot speak about the whole company, but I question that principle from some of its management in my territory. During a June 2011 POA in Orlando, FL, as we were finishing up the week and meeting with our respective managers and teams, a Specialty manager spoke about sacrifice to win in our promotion of Vybriid. During a launch we can all expect to work harder and feel like we are running around like crazy, detailing every white coat under the sun. However, what was discouraging about our leadership in this territory is this Specialty manager stated he had two young children (if I recall correctly I think they are both under the age of 6). This Specialty manager then said winning is all about sacrifice and “I am going to sacrifice seeing my kids for the next six weeks to win with this drug, what kind of sacrifice are you going to give?” Are you serious? Is that what this company has come to? I asked this same Specialty manager about our direction to promote Vybriid as a “different SSRI” when the FDA and managed care companies classify it as an SSRI. I told him it isn’t different and we cannot say that as we were not able to use the word “novel” or “different” for Bystolic. He said it is different, but to do what I felt comfortable with. I don’t think that is what the FDA would say about it. However, I have had this same argument with his Specialty representative on our team so they must be comfortable with misleading providers.
I have had the privilege to hear Mr. Howard Soloman speak on a few occasions. I have heard him speak so passionately about Forest and its commitment to honest principles, dedication to doing things the right way, and of its loyalty to Forest employees. With that in mind, I am discouraged by the actions of my management team and the egregious work environment they have spawned in our territory. I was asked by my Regional manager, Chris Bain, during a June 2011 POA meeting about my performance. I gave him all the aforementioned instances of our team and my manager, Tunisia Carter. I told him that I do not dance for anyone and respect is something that is earned, not simply given because of a title. I told him that she is not qualified to be a manager and lacks the necessary skills to effectively motivate a team in that capacity. I was told that it is not my decision to make that call. I reject that idea. As a sales representative, I am part of the heart and soul of this company and without our skills and relationships, there would be no company. To merely say I must learn to work with Tunisia Carter is in itself a weak response. I believe Chris Bain should take a leadership role with the training of his managerial team and make sure they are not just following the expectations of what some manual says, but the expectations that come with the complexity of supervising human capital (i.e. the heart and soul of our company, the sales force).
I have spoken with many employees of Forest and they have expressed similar concerns. I have had many colleagues resign or be terminated after jumping through the hoops of letters of concern or letters of warning. The expectations in these letters, as stated by Chris Bain, are meant to improve your skills. However, they have also been told to me by Tunisia Carter they are daily activities expected from all sales representatives. If that is the case, why isn’t everyone reprimanded for not caring out these often mundane and irrelevant daily tasks? As I have stated, my team has always asked me to handle any situation among our team or discuss issues with management. This is because I have always been a strong leader and been a part of many successful business teams as well as sport teams. I do not seek confrontation, but when I am presented with the idea of forgoing my honor, loyalty, and core principles of decency to others, I will embrace it head on.
12-20-2011
I am writing this letter to describe my experience with Forest Pharmaceuticals, as well as the ideas of honor, loyalty, and principles. These are my opinions of my work environment at Forest Pharmaceuticals along with examples of individuals’ behavior that contributed these opinions. I teach my children to defend their principles and beliefs with vigor. I teach them to defend their integrity with a vengeance. This is meant to teach them not to let anyone take advantage of them in any situation or for them to sacrifice their core beliefs for the sake of fitting in.
This is important when discussing my work experience with Forest since I chose to join the company in 2007. During my interview, I was handed a brochure that described Forest as being a great place to work that held family in high regard. I took this as Forest being different than a previous larger pharmaceutical company I worked for that made their employees feel more like a number than a person. I was excited about joining a company that presented an atmosphere of loyalty and dedication to their employees.
Having been a successful manager in the IT field, I understand the qualities it takes to be successful as well as the challenges that arise supervising multiple employees. Each employee presents its different set of challenges in their skill level, presentation style, and their personality. A successful manager is expected to get the most out of each employee by guiding them through a coaching process of promoting their strengths and encouraging improvement in their weaknesses. Any manager will tell you that some of their best employees are often the most challenging with each unique personality and individual expertise.
I have had three managers since joining Forest in 2007. I worked under my first manager for roughly three years and had varying degrees of success. What made my first manager such a great manager was his ability to treat each employee with respect and embraced individual thought with regard to each representative’s approach to their territory. He did not try to employ a “one size fits all” mentality to improve sales in each territory and most important, knew how to get the most out of each representative. This takes a high level of people skills and a strong understanding of developing employees that will strive to perform well for their manager. This was not only the case for me, but was discussed with me by all of his representatives in our division. My performance mattered to me and I wanted to improve each and every day. I was never able to reach President’s Club during his tenure (he stepped down to become a territory representative), but I never finished the year in the bottom fifty percent. I thank him for giving me the opportunity to grow as a pharmaceutical sales representative and guiding me for future success.
My second manager came in July 2010. Now, you must know that I have won multiple representative of the quarter awards and been recognized for my leadership, initiative, and team work under my first manager. This manager began our working relationship by telling me I am lazy, just going through the motions, and I have no impact with my providers. If that were true, how have I been winning awards? Next, my second manager directs his team at a POA to never discuss managed care during any detail to our physicians. He repeatedly claims that managed care doesn’t matter to a physician. He says it worked for him before in another territory and it will work here. This the “one size fits all” mentality that already shows me this is going to be very difficult.
This begins four months of a continuous borage of criticism without any support for my efforts or work ethic to improve in his eyes. It was only four months because, in a natural transition, this manager was promoted to the position of Regional Account Manager. Makes sense right? Have a person that did not see the relevance and importance of managed care to a position promoting Forest products to managed care companies.
We have now come to my current manager, Tunisia Carter. She became my manager in January 2011 and has continued the constant degrading remarks about my performance. For a little background, Tunsia Carter and I worked together during her time as a Specialty sales representative in my territory. When she moved on to become an RST, she promoted me as being a fantastic representative that would be a great Specialty representative for our territory. Now that she is my manager, she states that I have shown a lack of ability to provide impact with any of my physicians. At no point has Tunsia Carter asked me why my performance has deteriorated. This is also true of my Regional Manger, Chris Bain. That discussion will be provided later. Tunisia Carter’s method of observation involves quietly standing next to her employee with her smart phone in hand tapping away of every word uttered by both the representative and the provider. This continues when she is tapping away on her computer during any lunch and learn and not engaging any of the staff or providers, even after they say hello. I have had several instances of asking me not to bring her back or having to apologize for her rude behavior. This was especially destructive in an office in Blakley, GA and Tallahassee, FL where it took me a long time to build a relationship that would allow me access to these physicians even during a lunch and learn.
Tunsia Carter’s counterpart, Mike Geer, has played a role as well. This is not to be construed for any engagement of personal attacks, rather an environment of constant negative feedback without any encouragement for success, no matter how small. The following action points to their “one size fits all” mentality. Since my first manager, it has seemed we have repeatedly (even during the quarter) had to change call routing from a four week, to a three week, then to a two week routing schedule. Their reasoning was other territories were doing it. This constant change (we can all expect some change) has not allowed for any continuity for our schedules and most importantly for our providers. Constant rescheduling and canceling is not helpful in sales. Another example of the “one size fits all” mentality is Tunisia Carter’s direction for the Quarter 4 2012 and Vybriid. She directed her team to focus on a managed care segment that, yes is on Tier 2, but represents less than 3% of our territory for the SSRI market. It is much larger in her other territories, but rather than being creative or consulting her representatives that actually work in the territory, we get the blanket for all. One example of negative feedback involves following the Forest policy of not providing more than two lunches per month per provider in an office. Our team developed a lunch matrix that kept up with our lunches so as not to violate this policy. During a team meeting, Mike Geer suggested we, “do what you have to do” to improve performance. I asked him did that include violating this expense policy and he said, “Did I say that? I said do what you have to do.” I asked him to not speak in vague terms like a robot and state your intentions. I am a firm believer in saying what you mean and mean what you say. Mike Geer then asked me to step away for a private conversation in which he asked me, “Do you want to play offense or defense?” I asked him to explain what he meant and he said I am always trying to challenge management. I explained following management does not involve my violating company policy.
I later called the Expense Department and asked about what would happen when anyone violated this policy. The person I spoke with laughed and said nothing really, just an email from your manager stating a violation. I stated a manager all but directed our team to violate said policy and they laughed again saying, “I doubt a manager would be dumb enough to say that.”
I believe this constant negative leadership from Tunisia Carter and Mike Geer has only provided a work environment of animosity among the team. There was a time our team had a very good working relationship and our territory performed much better. There are members of the team now that actually keep a diary of all interactions only to quickly report anything to the managers. I am all for holding your counterparts accountable for true violations and reporting such activity to your managers. However, it has gotten to the point where any discussion contrary to the ideas presented by our managers is then returned to them promoting a team member as being “negative”.
This lack of loyalty and honor among team members, Tunisia Carter, and Mike Geer was clear during the termination of a team member in March 2011. I am not defending the reason for his termination, only the manner in which it was executed. Tunisia Carter asked the employee to meet her at his sample storage; giving no reason for her request under HR direction. Two other team members (not I) were then asked to be there as well; again following policy and giving no reason for the request. I then received a text from one of the two team members stating that my team mate was getting fired. I asked how she knew that and she stated Mike Geer had told her. He also told her that my former manager (remember he stepped down to a rep position) would be transferring into our territory. She asked me not to tell Mike Geer she had informed me via text. I texted my former manager to welcome him to the territory and his reply was, “I look forward to working with you.” He said he would be starting in two weeks. All of this happened before my colleague even knew he was going to be terminated. I asked Tunisia Carter about this and she quickly diverted her eyes to her computer during a meeting on the same day and said she knew nothing about it. Really? This was the person who hired her, had a significant role in her promotion to Specialty representative and she didn’t know anything when her counterpart already told his subordinate? In addition, this may be wrong but it is my understanding that any open position must be posted (we have all seen the email for Sales Force Opportunity). I never saw personally an email for posting this position. However, I did see a post on an obscure job board; the very same day he was terminated. I understand the legal ramifications involved in HR, but there is still an honorable way to treat people. Also on this same day, I was handed a letter of warning about performance. I feel this, as my counterpart before me, was a personal attack to void this team of any outspoken employees and restrict any individual thought.
After all this, I told my team that I will only speak if there is a third party present and will not detour from the direction of management. This was a significant change when they would continuously ask me to engage managers with questions at POAs or team meetings because they were afraid to ask. This also would include handling any issues with team members not performing up to our own team expectations. When coming to the conclusion this team had lost its loyalty to each other (in no small part due to our managerial leadership), I told them they were weak individuals and weak representatives.
Weak individuals because they lack the courage and fortitude to discuss any issues they may have with a fellow employee, even when asked up front by management to get everything out in the open. Weak representatives because they lack individual thought or input other that what their manager told them on how to improve performance and merely regurgitate product information without asking the simplest of questions, “why aren’t you prescribing (insert drug)?” I informed their manager, Mike Geer, of this as well. I, of course, was reprimanded for saying this by my manager. Tunisia Carter’s reasoning was it was too negative. How is it management may continuously degrade us, but when someone points out a concern about deficiencies in character or job skills, I am reprimanded? Could it be because it is a reflection on their own lack of skills to sufficiently develop their representatives and they are lashing out with the hope know one will notice? As I mentioned, our territory has not performed well for sometime now. I took a four month LOA and when I came back I saw the rankings plummet in my absence. The team said it was a lack of voice. Management says it is a lack of impact. Maybe it was due to the numerous calls I received on leave from offices needing samples. Maybe it was because important offices were being missed. On my return, I saw a very prominent doctor that is, let’s just say extremely influential for Medicaid. He asked how things were going as he hasn’t seen our Specialty representatives in months. Really? How can something like this happen when our Specialty representatives are supposed to be much more capable in sales skills and already have the relationships needed to be successful and lead our team? That’s why they got the position right? I would guess these “lateral leaders” only mimic the lack of leadership from their own managers. And if this is not known by the management then it is worse than I thought.
The constant negative feedback to individuals and as a team has not served us well. This questions the method of motivation by Tunisia Carter and Mike Geer. In the economy we are in, many companies are downsizing just to stay alive themselves. It is the nature of business. However, the constant threat of termination is no way to motivate a work force. Working under this “idea” of motivation only will encourage an employee to work just hard enough not to lose their job until they can find another. With that premise, how much production do you think a manager will actually get from that employee? What do you think it does for an employee’s morale or an entire team? I wonder if this is being directed to them by upper management. Is this being pushed down by my Regional Manager, Chris Bain? Chris Bain came roaring into the Regional manger position stating that no representative will be in the bottom fifty percent again (which is statistically impossible) and then told by our managers this means we will find someone else on more than one occasion.
I also would like to discuss my earlier statement of Forest portraying itself as a company that cares about its employees and the “work/life” balance. I cannot speak about the whole company, but I question that principle from some of its management in my territory. During a June 2011 POA in Orlando, FL, as we were finishing up the week and meeting with our respective managers and teams, a Specialty manager spoke about sacrifice to win in our promotion of Vybriid. During a launch we can all expect to work harder and feel like we are running around like crazy, detailing every white coat under the sun. However, what was discouraging about our leadership in this territory is this Specialty manager stated he had two young children (if I recall correctly I think they are both under the age of 6). This Specialty manager then said winning is all about sacrifice and “I am going to sacrifice seeing my kids for the next six weeks to win with this drug, what kind of sacrifice are you going to give?” Are you serious? Is that what this company has come to? I asked this same Specialty manager about our direction to promote Vybriid as a “different SSRI” when the FDA and managed care companies classify it as an SSRI. I told him it isn’t different and we cannot say that as we were not able to use the word “novel” or “different” for Bystolic. He said it is different, but to do what I felt comfortable with. I don’t think that is what the FDA would say about it. However, I have had this same argument with his Specialty representative on our team so they must be comfortable with misleading providers.
I have had the privilege to hear Mr. Howard Soloman speak on a few occasions. I have heard him speak so passionately about Forest and its commitment to honest principles, dedication to doing things the right way, and of its loyalty to Forest employees. With that in mind, I am discouraged by the actions of my management team and the egregious work environment they have spawned in our territory. I was asked by my Regional manager, Chris Bain, during a June 2011 POA meeting about my performance. I gave him all the aforementioned instances of our team and my manager, Tunisia Carter. I told him that I do not dance for anyone and respect is something that is earned, not simply given because of a title. I told him that she is not qualified to be a manager and lacks the necessary skills to effectively motivate a team in that capacity. I was told that it is not my decision to make that call. I reject that idea. As a sales representative, I am part of the heart and soul of this company and without our skills and relationships, there would be no company. To merely say I must learn to work with Tunisia Carter is in itself a weak response. I believe Chris Bain should take a leadership role with the training of his managerial team and make sure they are not just following the expectations of what some manual says, but the expectations that come with the complexity of supervising human capital (i.e. the heart and soul of our company, the sales force).
I have spoken with many employees of Forest and they have expressed similar concerns. I have had many colleagues resign or be terminated after jumping through the hoops of letters of concern or letters of warning. The expectations in these letters, as stated by Chris Bain, are meant to improve your skills. However, they have also been told to me by Tunisia Carter they are daily activities expected from all sales representatives. If that is the case, why isn’t everyone reprimanded for not caring out these often mundane and irrelevant daily tasks? As I have stated, my team has always asked me to handle any situation among our team or discuss issues with management. This is because I have always been a strong leader and been a part of many successful business teams as well as sport teams. I do not seek confrontation, but when I am presented with the idea of forgoing my honor, loyalty, and core principles of decency to others, I will embrace it head on.