Pros
Despite minimal improvements made to products over the last few years, customers still overwhelmingly like and trust Renaissance products. The two products that have the largest footprint (AR and Star) are both game-changers in the classroom (even though the UI is pretty much a dinosaur at this point!) Additionally, the CEO and many (not all) members of the executive team express an earnest commitment to doing the right thing by our customers and by our employees. The most recent strategic goals reflect that the leadership recognizes where our gaps are as an organization and their attempt to fill those gaps.
Kontras
The vision and integrity of the CEO does not trickle down throughout the organization. Management styles across the org are wildly different, and there is not nearly enough focus and attention on people development. Employee satisfaction seems to vary greatly, largely depending on A) which department that employee works in and B) who that employee's manager is. There are zero company norms or standards when it comes to communication (how to best address conflict?), leadership (what's the most effective way to motivate your employees?), productivity (how to have efficient and purposeful conference calls?) all of which impact both employee success and employee morale. Finally, I don't believe decisions are always truly made in the interest of our teachers and students. Due to the accountability we have to show our Board that the company as a whole is becoming more "valuable", many decisions are made that - at a portfolio level (in a board room) sound cutting-edge, innovative, and like good business. However, those decisions mean that the work we're doing "on the ground" continues to zig and zag towards the "next big thing" while continuously compromising the value we deliver to our teachers and students TODAY.