Oh my, Steve - that's a big can of worms you just opened! I suspect you'll get more interesting comments from those using an alias. 😀

I've been in corporations where I didn't trust the VP levels, and ones where I did (and it depended greatly on the VP's actions over time). And yes, I've been on that "short list", since I tend to be pretty outspoken. Oddly enough, I've never had a problem finding another job within 3 months of starting the search - and the only time I went 3 months was when I started in December (yeah, Christmas break slows things down). I guess the hiring managers at my preferred companies valued honesty above brown-nosing (and I'll pass on working for any the prefer it vice-versa).

I think that's a good question to ask during the interview, along with "what's your company's five-year plan look like" and "explain how your group handles a project with an un-realistic time frame". It gets mighty quiet in an office when an interviewee pops off a question that is soooo unexpected! "Do you trust your [twice-removed] manager to make appropriate business decisions related to your group and the projects you normally support?" I love to watch those eyeballs pop...

:w00t: