Managers are working harder today and 66 percent of them say that their primary responsibility is managing the people on their teams rather than driving progress toward organizational goals and priorities, according to Tony Guadagni. This amounts to as much as one-quarter of their time engaging with employees on personal and emotional issues.
The authors discusses the need to achieve a better balance between people-first and performance-first objectives. They recommend the following:
- Double down on the fundamentals
- Swallow the bitter pill: employee dissatisfaction.
- Beware the loyalty trap. It’s fine to have close relationships
Source: Gartner, April 29, 2026. Link.
To drive success today, leading chief human resources officers are focused on resetting manager objectivity, shifting the primary loyalty from the individual employee to the collective mission of the team.”
Related: From manager to managing coach: The identity shift leaders need now, SmartBrief, May 4, 2026. Link. The real issue isn’t skill; it’s identity. “If I see myself as “the boss,” I default to telling and demanding. If, however, I see myself as a coach, I default to asking, guiding and aligning.”
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