I have had friends who've gone to work for Yahoo & the Big Goog. They've all quit save one, who is a fun guy but one who, professionally speaking, (sadly) likes

I have had friends who've gone to work for Yahoo & the Big Goog. They've all quit save one, who is a fun guy but one who, professionally speaking, (sadly) likes to be told what to do. The reasons: boredom, not enough freedom, being stuck using inefficient tools, politicking, and at one point my friend's boss's boss pointed at my friend in a meeting like she was a secretary and asked, "Why is she here?" -- when my friend was responsible for launching a big web property for said boss just a few weeks prior. All big companies are pretty much the same. The trappings are different but at heart, you can't grow to a huge size and maintain a great culture… unless you do something truly radical. And free lunches and nannies -- that's not radical enough.