Middle management is facing a tremendous shift. Over the past year or so, I have spoken with several managers who have been struggling as they manage larger teams. The old formula had four to seven people reporting to one manager, with the ideal being number at the lower end of that range.
It seems that overnight, that has shifted dramatically. I am now coaching managers who manage teams of 15 and are bogged down in one-on-one meetings with team members, while dealing with employees who require a lot of hand-holding. Meanwhile, the C-suite is pushing for more and bigger outcomes with fewer staff.
Prioritizing the work, time management, and people management are key, all while inspiring the team and delivering on KPIs. For high-performers like my client, “Jackie”, this is a challenge she welcomes. For others like “Adam”, he was utterly overwhelmed and struggled to survive. He was recently laid off.
Worth the share
When I read about this phenomenon in the WSJ on Sunday, I was blown away by the scale of it. We are in the perfect storm because:
- Engagement at work is at an all-time low (down to 21% according to Gallup)
- Younger employees need more support (Gen Z is known as an anxious generation)
- Global uncertainty is unsettling entire industries (tariffs, interest rates, wars, etc.)
- The impact of AI on how we work, with some companies completely changing their structure because of it
Your Boss Doesn’t Have Time to Talk to You, by Chip Cutter and Lindsay Ellis, quotes a variety of major organizations across industries that are shrinking their ranks of middle managers and increasing the size of their teams. Google cut 35% of its managers of small teams, Amazon is increasing its ratio of employees to managers, Bank of America is flattening its organizational structure, and Estee Lauder and Match Group (match.com, etc.) are both cutting 20% of their middle managers.
The result? It’s a new world. One manager at Microsoft said this of his current management style, now that he manages a much larger team: “My mantra is simple, I don’t ask about their personal stuff at all.” And doesn’t know if some colleagues are single or married. “There is a boundary and I do not cross it”.
The solution proposed by Josh Isner of Axon Enterprise is to hire high performers. “If you hire Michael Jordan, they don’t need the same level of attention day-to-day as a rookie.”
This represents a significant shift from a focus on professional development. When challenged about team size, Isner went on to say, “I want to keep pushing the envelope. The worst thing that happens is we hire a few more managers, but the best thing that happens is we pick up a ton of speed and give people a lot of autonomy.”
Read the full article from the Exchange section of the WSJ here. And if you can’t read it because it’s subscription-only, please let me know and I’ll get you a copy.
#wisewords
“Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”
–Steve Jobs
And Finally...
When I reflect on the above article and quote from Steve Jobs, I am struck by how challenging it is to be both an effective manager and an inspiring leader, day in and day out, when resources are shrinking and work volume is increasing. If you are facing a time crunch and limited resources, with expectations mounting and are struggling with excessive pressure, make sure to proactively address the situation.
As September begins and Q4 approaches, be intentional. Craft a plan. Identify what is working and the areas that need improvement. Talk with colleagues, manager, or a business coach to help you address the gaps. Throughout it all, make sure to take care of yourself. Self-care is number one.
Have a great week,
Mary Jo