I think you glossed over the question

Generally, the answer is management via performance reviews.

So current management, who had proven incapable of running a business, will be trusted to ignore past political games and just retain talent? That's certainly a take

Presumably the same management that is proposed to be axed en masse with the 50% they are now tasked with selecting...

Let's flip it. Direct reports get to vote on whether they would be better off without their manager.

> it doesn't really matter as long as you retain the top 10% who do 90% of the work.

This isn't SW. Those ratios don't exist in the HW world.

(And to be frank, it's a myth in SW too).

And welcome to the "fun" world of Stack Ranking.

I am yet to see a round of "cut the bottom 10%" that didn't end up also cutting a bunch of top 5% staff.