Agree 100%. I’ve been through 4 layoffs so far and while there is some correlation with performance, politics still dominates layoff decisions especially at more senior levels.

You can be at the top of the layoff list for nothing more than voicing your criticism of company strategy at some random meeting.

I’ve seen very talented VPs go from “hero” to “zero” in the span of a month when the CEO decides to change direction and concludes those people aren’t “aligned with the new direction of the company”.