To put it plainly, sometimes companies know they do not have the resources to meet a deadline and to deliver a feature or product with the shape and quality the

To put it plainly, sometimes companies know they do not have the resources to meet a deadline and to deliver a feature or product with the shape and quality they have promised. When that deadline fails to be met, middle managers need someone's head to roll in order to avoid being blamed themselves. At that moment, middle managers start conspiring against some of their subordinates, and they often build an argument that some engineer is not "performing well enough" or some other similar claim. The key is that at companies with this kind of culture the burden of proof is placed on the defense. Meaning that if your manager claims you are not meeting their expectations, it's on you to prove you are performing well enough, and at that point you are pretty much fucked, because they can simply say they don't believe you (the entire point of it is to shift blame, no matter how esoterical the thought process is). Ultimately, you need to think about your own wellbeing and if you are willing to work under some sociopath. You can add all the layers you want to the problem, but it comes down to some people making fake promises and having some coworkers or employees pay for those lies.