As Layoffs Climb and AI Emerges, the Predictions are Flowing
Like clockwork, bad news in the economy coupled with some scary new technology brings out the pundits offering exaggerated predictions for something or another. This time, the mass layoffs in techdom and a few other sectors, coupled with the excitement (positive and negative) generated by ChatGPT and AI, have a few individuals predicting the death of the manager role.
While I have no qualms about relegating the “old” model of managing to the ash heap of organizational history, I’m not buying the idea that AI and Automation will replace the need for humans to offer coaching, support, mentoring, encouragement, creativity, direction, and development for other humans.
What the Death of the Manager Role Really Means: Out With Lousy Managers, Costly Task Masters, and the Old Compliance and Control Model
Sure, let’s leverage technology to replace bureaucratic management ranks that consistently under-perform, giving life to firms such as Gallup and their always disappointing survey results for employee engagement.
Eliminating tasks and processes that can be automated will be involved in the death of the manager role, bringing overall benefits, despite the unavoidable job losses that may occur.
And it’s time to put a stake in the idea of “supervision.” If a job or function needs a supervisor, there’s a systemic flaw in the job design or, more likely the business design. If you must be present to ensure people work, that’s a problem.
Toward a New Generation and Model of Managing
The emergence of AI will likely change much of our world. Certainly much of who and how things happen in our organizations. A significant number of low-level managerial tasks will face elimination.
Great! This opens room to rethink the model of manager. Maybe, send the old model on to the Museum of Ineffective Outcomes of the Industrial Revolution.
It’s time for a new model of managing. In a 2022 article, I went so far as to suggest it might be time to throw out both the old job description and the old label. “Managing” doesn’t reflect the work required. Coaching is much more accurate for this emerging world.
Yes, the new management model is more coach and developer. AI will not replace work that requires high emotional intelligence (EQ) and relies less on compliance and control. The new focus must be on helping people innovate, collaborate, solve complex problems, and learn and grow in their careers. This should involve applying emerging technologies to strategy and operations.
The Bottom Line for Now:
There is a great deal of misunderstanding regarding the death of the manager role. The necessity for transformation is abundantly clear, and the time to act is now.
If you are ready to transform the manager role in your organization, consider signing up your team for an upcoming session of the Manager Development Program.
Resources:
See: Geoffrey Moore’s excellent article on LinkedIn: Understanding ChatGPT: A Triumph of Rhetoric.
Also: The Disappearing White Collar Job in the WSJ (subscription may be required).
See My Article: The Old Model of Manager is Broken. It’s Time to Start Fresh
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