We Need Managers

There is a movement in the business community to minimize, maybe even eliminate midlevel leaders (I dislike the term “middle management”).

For example, Mark Zuckerberg recently announced -

I don’t think you want a management structure that’s just managers managing managers, managing managers, managing managers, managing the people who are doing the work.

This kind of hyperbole is disrespectful and makes light of the crucial worker that midlevel leaders do in all organizations.

If you are swayed by the Zuckerberg position or statements and actions like it, please consider the following.

• Managers are the biggest influence (by more than 70%) on team performance and engagement. (Gallup) When everyone reports to the CEO or other executive this key point of influence is diluted or eliminated.

• Managers translate culture and strategy to frontline workers. They are critical to any change processes, new product implementation, and relationship development.

• Overloading the CEO with reports limits their time to provide visionary and strategic leadership and increases burnout.

• In addition to causing burnout and stress, flattening organizations and overloading CEOs and managers with direct reports limits the ability of individual contributors’ work to be implemented or fully activated. (UKG)

• This retreat from managers creates a future gap in qualified executive leadership by failing to develop midlevel leaders now.

The better strategy is to leverage the potential of midlevel leaders to create a positive, forward-looking culture, while inspiring frontline workers to success.