“As organizations shift toward more distributed, asynchronous workforces, the traditional role of a middle manager — monitoring productivity, optimizing individual performance, etc. — is becoming increasingly redundant. Instead of simply routing information between different groups, middle managers of the future will be tasked with leveraging digital tools optimized for tracking remote and hybrid workforces, and then focusing their own energy on building teams and developing talent. In addition, organizations will have to rethink traditional career paths, and begin to offer development tracks that enable individual contributors to advance without necessarily taking on people-management responsibilities. As digital tools enable the freer, more democratic flow of information, managers will be free to focus on something that is infinitely more important than transmitting information: building teams and connecting the people that are the true lifeblood of any organization.”.”

That’s the summary of the HBR article by Brian Elliott, It’s time to free the middle manager (21 May 2021)

QUESTION:
How are you helping managers to adopt their new role as leaders in the modern workplace? How are you helping them build their  teams and connect the people that are the true lifeblood of any organization?

FIND OUT MORE:
In section 10 – Inspire Modern Managers – of MWL 2021, we look at some of the ways that you can help managers reconsider their role in the modern workplace.

JOIN THE ONLINE MWL WORKSHOP where we are discussing this in more depth
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