Gallup’s research has one finding that every CEO should tape to their monitor: Managers account for at least 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement scores across business units. Ashley Herd shares the case against the Great Flattening in this article which acknowledges the functions of AI tools and their weaknesses beyond tactical support.
“When you remove the manager, you don’t remove management. The work doesn’t disappear, it just gets redistributed and so does much of the accountability and coaching.”
Source: Fast Company, June 1, 2026. Link. Herd says for managers reading this, here’s what I want you to take away: Your job is one of the most consequential roles in modern work. And if you’re a CEO, here’s your takeaway: This isn’t theoretical research—it’s your real business results.
The question isn’t whether we need managers. It’s whether we’re willing to admit how much value they bring, and the weight they’re already carrying.”
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