John Stankey, the Chief Executive Officer of AT&T, recently offered a candid reflection on his leadership approach, acknowledging that he made notable missteps in how he handled the company’s evolving internal culture. In doing so, he also offered additional clarity regarding the viral internal memorandum that sparked intense discussion both within and outside the organization. The memo, which had first surfaced publicly through Business Insider reports in August, was a detailed communication outlining AT&T’s intention to transition toward what Stankey termed a “more market-based culture.” This phrasing—implying a renewed emphasis on performance, competitiveness, and adaptability—quickly ignited public discourse surrounding the modern meaning of employee loyalty and the shifting dynamics of corporate workplace ethos.
Speaking during a session at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit on Tuesday, Stankey provided deeper insight into the objectives behind that controversial memo. When prompted to identify a mistake he had made over his tenure, Stankey explained that his central error was hesitating too long before addressing what he described as the company’s urgent need for “cultural evolution.” According to him, while he had placed cultural change among several concurrent corporate priorities, he now realizes that it should have been treated as a primary, non-negotiable focus—something requiring immediate, structured, and enforceable actions rather than inclusion in a broader mix of initiatives. This delay, he suggested, hindered the pace at which AT&T could reshape its collective mindset to align with rapid technological and market transformations.
Alan Murray, who serves as President of the Wall Street Journal’s Leadership Institute, proposed during their discussion that Stankey’s recognition of this earlier hesitation may well explain why the CEO decided to issue such a forthright memo this year, rather than at an earlier and perhaps more opportune juncture. Stankey, in response, cautioned against what he described as “over-rotation” on the memo itself—meaning that the document should not be viewed as a singular or overemphasized corrective measure, but rather as one component of a more extensive, multi-step strategy designed to clarify expectations and empower leadership across all levels of the organization. He elaborated that the memo’s purpose was to establish a transparent framework to guide managers, removing any ambiguity—or as he phrased it, “excuses for leaders not to lead.” The intention was to provide both direction and permission for decisive leadership action.
Expanding on his perspective, Stankey explained that his message was not merely a standalone communication but a foundational articulation of his personal philosophy regarding effective leadership within the modern telecommunications environment. The document, he said, offered a contextual blueprint for the business as a whole, effectively serving as a charter that granted proactive managers the full institutional support—what he metaphorically described as “all the air cover in the world”—to execute strategies that aligned with the newly articulated corporate vision.
Over the past year, AT&T has experienced a series of transformative policy and operational shifts, many of which have altered day-to-day employee experience. Among these, one of the most visible has been the reinstatement of a strict return-to-office guideline, requiring employees to be physically present in the workplace five days per week. This decision was framed not as a mere administrative change but as part of the broader effort to reinforce cohesion, collaboration, and cultural alignment within the company’s workforce.
The tone of the internal memo reflected this decisive posture. In it, Stankey emphasized that employees must be willing to embrace the evolving company culture and operational demands—or alternatively, recognize when the environment no longer aligned with their personal or professional aspirations. He reinforced that AT&T’s business model is inherently dynamic, deeply intertwined with customer interactions, and reliant on continuous engagement with complex, large-scale initiatives. Accordingly, he stated that those who found the pace, expectations, or requirements incompatible with their individual desires should feel free to pursue alternative career paths that better suited their goals and needs. This message, while direct, was intended to balance respect for individual agency with a firm articulation of corporate priorities.
At the same summit, Stankey also discussed another dimension of AT&T’s cultural transformation: the company’s growing emphasis on artificial intelligence and digital fluency among employees. He underscored that the organization is actively urging its workforce to adopt and integrate AI-based tools into their daily workflows. To facilitate this evolution, AT&T has implemented comprehensive learning resources—including structured tutorials and self-guided educational modules—designed to help employees upskill and remain at the forefront of technological advancement. Stankey explained that he personally monitors engagement with these learning tools, using participation as an informal measure of employee adaptability and ambition. In his view, those who are building their technical and strategic skill sets through such platforms are positioning themselves advantageously for the next wave of required corporate competencies. Ultimately, he framed this movement toward AI literacy not as an optional experiment, but as a necessary step in ensuring both individual and organizational relevance in an environment increasingly defined by rapid digital transformation.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/att-ceo-john-stankey-mistake-addressing-company-culture-viral-memo-2025-12
