Purpose
Weave knowledge, art, and people back into management
Management is broken!
After over two decades of experience, I believe there are two primary reasons for this phenomenon.
1. Most managers aren’t really "equipped" to manage people.
Many managers lack the necessary traits and skills to lead effectively, particularly during their early career stages. This creates a negative ripple effect across the entire organization, that ultimately impacts the young employees who are just entering the workforce.
These young new hires rarely report to seasoned leaders. Instead, they're often handed off to first-line managers - people who are either stuck at that level or freshly promoted and struggling with the shift from “doing” to “managing.” These managers frequently lack the experience or training to help others grow. The result? Frustrated young professionals who feel underused, misunderstood, and demoralized. Which at some point will become managers.
J. Sterling Livingston pointed this out back in the 1980s:
“Many college graduates begin their careers under the worst possible circumstances... they quite naturally become negative toward their jobs, employers, and business careers.”
It was true then. It’s worse now.
Don’t believe it? Ask any employee what they think of their manager, or the management in their company. You’ll most likely hear frustration, disengagement, or indifference.
Maybe even shouting.
2. Most leadership today is missing the point.
The pandemic shattered the illusion of business as usual. Disengagement skyrocketed. Nearly 60% of employees are now “quiet quitting.” Many of them work off-site. Most feel truly isolated or stressed. We have the data. We just keep ignoring it.
What’s missing is leadership that actually leads. A leadership that inspires people, aligns them with purpose, and creates belonging. That’s not a soft skill, it’s a survival skill.
Management development is not an option. It’s a business necessity.
If we want better organizations - and a better future for our businesses - we need to get serious about nurturing better managers.
It starts by admitting the system is broken. Then doing something about it.
believe everyone knows what they're doing except them
In 2019, 57% of employees have left at least a job because of their manager.
An additional 32% have seriously considered leaving because of their manager.
Not much has changed since. Other than maybe more people quitting quietly...
feel powerless and unable to make progress on their initiatives
wanna transform their organization into a more trustful, inclusive and engaging environment, but don't know how
People leave managers, not companies
This happens not because those managers are ill-intended, as much as ill-prepared. In technology in particular, they:
dream of continuous delivery when their technical debt is sky-high
are frustrated as well, beyond belief
lack practical knowledge - not knowing when and how to apply it in real situations
still miss programming
Meanwhile...
91% of tech employees would like to get more training from their companies. Almost half of them are interested in soft skills such as communication, leadership, project management and time management.
Many are managers themselves.
I know some of them.
