3Shape Ukraine

8.5 years and my time with #3shape is over. And not in the best way.
I would summarize my time in the company with this quote:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times [...] it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness”- Charles Dickens

During my tenure, I saw #3shape go from an innovative company to a “feature” company, from a company that sets trends to a company that follows trends.

But what happened in the last 2/3 years, is the lowest bar in my career. All due to changes in the company, and actions of people we were supposed to trust.

This is the first part of a two-part reply to an email sent to the 3Shape Marketing Department in Ukraine moments after I was dismissed.
So, let’s go...

When you are so deep into protecting/defending/conniving/colluding with a ruZZia supporter/propagandist that you forget that the Soviet times are long gone:

“I encourage you to be discerning in your interactions with Andre If he reaches out (please contact me or our P&O, xxxxxx & A., if you encounter anything unusual).”

The excerpt above is part of the email sent to my former colleagues on the day I was dismissed. The email mentions my name 7 times. I will break down such email, and I believe that is more than fair to name the main “actors” as well (something that I haven’t done yet, despite all my previous posts)

1) V., the toxic/hypocrite Marketing Department #manager at 3Shape Ukraine (who was the author of the email), the same V. who protects/defends/colludes/connives with a ruZZia supporter/propagandist in my former team. “The” V. who single-handedly destroyed the team spirit of my former team by, deliberately, not acting the many times my former team requested (and now she is desperately trying to overcome what she did by applying the great strategy of: “non-stop compliments”). V. is the definition of “wolf in sheep’s clothing”;

2) A. (French translator), well, by now, everyone knows who this person is: the ruZZia supporter/propagandist who is being investigated by the SBU (the Ukrainian National Security Agency). A person who lacks work ethics, moral values, and principles, is just an amoral person. And the person who through the years was never shy in stating how great Russia, and the Soviet Union, was. Protected/defended by V., with all her strength, despite all complaints from my former colleagues (directly or via the “performance review” meetings). V.’s tools to silence me and others were: intimidation, threats, and lies. After the full invasion, this internal conflict exploded because the team knew A.’s position, yet nothing was done. A. remains in complete silence regarding the war, not a single word of support to Ukraine or Ukrainians, just an empty “I’m against war”, not a single word against ruZZia, nor ruZZians. Example of A.’s “remarkable” character: When a former colleague said how difficult her husband’s everyday life was (he is a firefighter saving and helping civilians after the consequences of ruZZia’s missile attacks), A. said to this former colleague, “He can change jobs”.

3) V. was not alone. There is also the “organization” side, where the HR Director did/does what an HR does, trying to avoid the scandal, using the available tools: threats and censorship. The HR Director, in a borderline laughable email, basically said: “Shut up, be quiet, and do not spread that”, after half of the team stated in a meeting that we didn’t feel safe having A. in the team and asked him to be investigated just to see if he was an active collaborator. Of course, this was denied, and the whole thing was swept under the carpet.

4) The silence. I totally understand the reasons for the silence. I really do. People are afraid to lose their jobs during war times. V. and 3Shape play with that very well. It’s like a “hostage situation” scenario.

Here is a break down of the email:

Quote: “There was a Facebook post from Andre last Friday. It contained malicious gossip directed at the company, its managers, and colleagues. This is a breach of our Code of Conduct, which condones such behavior on personal SM. False & hateful posts go against our policy, communication guidelines and values.”

Reply: The post on FB was not “malicious gossip”, nor “false” as V. says, it was focused on malicious behaviors perpetrated by V. and A. (their names were not mentioned before, by the way, but I’m glad she recognizes herself in the post). It was based on information I discovered (by chance) that A. was, again, involved in a “backstabbing behavior” by stealing a project as if it was his own, doing everything on my back (condoned by V.). A. had done the same before, stole a project (also condoned by V.) and nothing happened, nothing but a lame “It was a business decision” as an excuse. And, because of that, I believe he felt entitled to do it again. And he was right.

V. created and reinforced a culture of “backstabbing” at work. It’s more than obvious that V. didn’t read the “Code of Conduct”. Nothing in the “3Shape Global Code of Conduct” states what V. wrote. (Note: The word “Condone” means -> accept (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive). V. should proofread what she writes before sending official emails. But, hey, who said proofreading is 3Shape’s strength?

Quote: “Moreover, this was not the first time Andre behaved unprofessionally. 3Shape made requests, held discussions, and gave official warnings to Andre in the past regarding his verbal and written comments & posts, as well as cooperation in the team. The agreement was that we would continue working with him as long as he was willing to stay professional and refrain from bullying online and offline.”

Reply: This is partially true. V. was informed, and warned many times in 1:1 meetings/on Teams, or Skype, conversations, as well as during Performance Review by me (and other colleagues) about A.. And she chose not to do anything (she likes to pose as a “good manager”, allowing many things that the 3Shape Global Code of Conduct condemns) but to threaten, intimidate, censor, silence (myself and my former colleagues), and even humiliate (or try to) me. The so-called “agreement” that V. mentioned was valid only regarding the work environment, nothing more nothing less. And the so-called “agreement” was nulled the moment A. engaged in the same “backstabbing behavior” (condoned by V.). In my 8.5 years at 3Shape, I was always professional in my interactions with my colleagues (my PRs show that). V., as it’s usual for a toxic/double face manager, lies. The issue was never about my professionalism, but V.’s distorted ethics and principles. Just check the opinion of my former colleagues, it’s easy. Otherwise, show the proof of your allegations. I dare you.

I reiterate my challenge:

I dare V. to prove that I, Andre Simplicio, as a 3Shape employee, broke the “3Shape Global Code of Conduct”.

3Shape’s Code of Conduct is nothing but words in the wind (I have examples to corroborate that).

P.S.: Let me repeat, I have the emails and screenshots of everything I wrote here, in case. Nothing written in this post is “random nonsense”.