Hi, Mary:)

Several comments:

1)  Better late than never ... just now getting to this.

2)  I remain consistently impressed with your willingness to go where most people try to avoid.

Excellent list of things a professional should do for their own sake, regardless of what "the company" is doing.

It struck me as I read through this that a great part of the ambivalence and fear experienced by those trying to avoid the landmines of the modern workplace comes from a sense of mistrust.

If you trust the management structure within which you work, these questions become a joint project.  As you were describing your experience (which is also my experience), those in charge had no active role in helping those they should be serving to demonstrate their competence and worth.

Everyone for themselves ... never a strong stance.

You are absolutely right that we need to turn our "If Management Would Only ..." statements into "Here's What I Will Do ...".   If everyone works together with the same goals in mind, this is easier to do.  The weakest or least motivated performers will separate themselves, one way or another.

Quirky thought:  Is surviving layoffs with adversary or absent management in place a victory ... or a defeat:)?

Loved this contribution to our ongoing professional development.

John