Listen to this article:
Abstract: The article examines how the roles and responsibilities of managers have evolved significantly in recent decades as organizations adapt to rapidly changing market conditions and technological advancements. Whereas traditional "command and control" management focused on directing work and driving short-term gains, the research shows that modern managers must take a more collaborative leadership approach. This involves empowering employees, fostering innovation, and prioritizing long-term sustainable success over short-term outputs. Key changes include shifting from a "boss" mentality to acting as a coach and mentor, creating an environment of trust and belonging, facilitating cross-boundary collaboration, and embracing agile principles for organizational flexibility. The article concludes that managers who embrace this evolving role as facilitators guiding people and change will be best positioned for success in the 21st century business reality.
The role and responsibilities of managers have evolved significantly over the past few decades as organizations have shifted to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions and technological advancements. Whereas traditional management roles focused on directing work, controlling resources, and driving for short-term gains, today's managers must take a more collaborative leadership approach to empower employees, drive innovation, and achieve long-term sustainable success.
Today we will explore the research on how management roles have changed and need to continue changing to meet the demands of the modern workplace.
Research on Changing Management Roles
Traditional "Command and Control" Leadership
Until the late 20th century, management research and practice was dominated by "command and control" theories of leadership (Kotter, 2001). Managers were viewed as higher in the hierarchy who directly supervised employees' work and told them what to do. This approach aimed to maximize efficiency and productivity in stable environments by standardizing work processes and tightly controlling resources (Adler et al., 2008). However, as technology advanced work became more specialized and globalization increased competition, this traditional top-down leadership style began showing limitations for driving innovation needed to adapt to changing markets (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2003; De Smet et al., 2018).
Emergence of Collaborative Leadership Models
In response, new research emerged emphasizing the importance of collaborative leadership styles. Kotter (2001) introduced the concept of transformational leadership which focuses on developing people, inspiring innovation, and facilitating organizational change. Similarly, Google's Project Aristotle found that effective managers focused on involving their team members in decisions, showing care for employees' wellbeing, and creating a sense of belonging (Duhigg, 2016). Additional research has demonstrated the value of servant leadership which prioritizes serving employees first to help them develop and achieve their full potential (Greenleaf, 1970). These collaborative models emphasize empowering employees rather than controlling them.
Practical Applications for Managers
Shifting from "Boss" to Coach and Mentor
Based on the research, managers today must shift away from the role of top-down "boss" and take on more of a coaching and mentoring approach to empower employee growth and innovation. At Intuit, for example, the director of engineering leads without titles or formal hierarchy and acts as a coach, advocating for his employees and helping them navigate obstacles (Parker et al., 2019). He focuses on understanding individual strengths and goals to effectively guide people towards their fullest contributions. Similarly, at Netflix managers are expected to "serve their teams" through mentoring, career development, and removing barriers rather than directing work (Reed, 2014). This enables high-performing and engaged teams.
Fostering an Environment of Trust and Belonging
Research also shows the importance of fostering trust and psychological safety for employees to feel comfortable contributing innovative ideas and taking risks (Edmondson, 2018). As a practical application, managers at Anthropic ensure team well-being and belonging through regular check-ins, transparent communication, and flexibility to balance work with personal lives (Anthropic, 2021). This helps retain top talent critical for the AI safety research conducted. Similarly, leaders at Autodesk cultivate an environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up about challenges without fear of repercussions to drive ongoing product improvements (Autodesk, 2020). Fostering belonging and trust is key to managing in transformative times.
Facilitating Collaboration Across Boundaries
Given today's complex multifunctional projects, managers also must facilitate effective collaboration across organizational boundaries. At Pixar, leaders ensure creative teams have time for exploration and bringing outsiders into review processes to surface new perspectives that improve storytelling (Catmull, 2014). Likewise, managers at BCG successfully drive Transformation through fostering Communities of Practice that cross business units and geographies enabling knowledge sharing vital for solving clients' multidimensional problems (BCG, 2015). Facilitating collaboration beyond traditional silos is vital for managing innovation in dynamic environments.
Measurement of Success Beyond Short-Term Outputs
Modern management also requires shifting metrics of success beyond just short-term outputs to longer-term outcomes like employee engagement, learning and development. As LinkedIn's VP of engineering states, "We measure success not by features shipped but by people grown" (Parker et al., 2019). For example, at Anthropic leadership evaluates not only model performance but also how it impacts and is perceived by employees, partners and society to ensure AI safety (Anthropic, 2021). Managers should focus on helping all stakeholders achieve their fullest potential over time rather than just chasing quarterly numbers.
Adopting Agile Principles for Organizational Flexibility
Given the pace of change, organizations also require managers to embrace principles of agility for ongoing flexibility and experimentation. At Amazon, leaders follow a model of decentralized decision making, iterative testing of new ideas, and embracing failures as learning opportunities rather than punishable mistakes that has fueled the company's success (Lashinsky, 2012). Similarly, Semco in Brazil thrives through a holacratic system of self-managed teams, rapid prototyping, and fluid job rotations that keeps the organization and people constantly learning and adapting (Semco, 2015). Adopting agile principles allows management to guide organizational transformation in disruptive environments.
Conclusion
The research clearly demonstrates that effective management in today's dynamic workplace requires shifting from traditional top-down, command-and-control styles of leadership to a more collaborative approach that empowers employees. Modern managers must act as coaches and mentors who foster trust, belonging, and cross-boundary collaboration to drive innovation. They also need to focus on long-term employee development and organizational agility over short-term outputs. While challenging existing mindsets, leading through these collaborative models with a servant leadership mindset enables sustainable success through ongoing transformation. Managers who embrace their evolving role as facilitators guiding people and organizational change will be best positioned to achieve results in the 21st century business reality.
References
Adler, P. S., Goldoftas, B., & Levine, D. I. (2008). Flexibility versus efficiency? A case study of model changeovers in the Toyota production system. Organization science, 10(1), 43-68.
Alvesson, M., & Sveningsson, S. (2003). The great disappearing act: Difficulties in doing "leadership". The Leadership Quarterly, 14(3), 359-381.
Anthropic. (2021, January 12). Our approach to AI safety. Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/approach
Autodesk. (2020, September 16). Autodesk’s culture of belonging. Autodesk. https://www.autodesk.com/company/culture
BCG. (2015, May 5). Collaboration across boundaries: BCG's communities of practice. BCG. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2015/strategy-collaboration-across-boundaries-bcgs-communities-practice
Catmull, E. (2014). Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration. Random House.
De Smet, A., Lund, S., & Schaninger, W. (2018, February 23). Organizing for the future. McKinsey Quarterly. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/organizing-for-the-future
Duhigg, C. (2016, February 25). What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html
Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons.
Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The servant as leader. Robert K. Greenleaf Center.
Kotter, J. P. (2001). What leaders really do. Harvard Business Review, 79(11), 85-97.
Lashinsky, A. (2012, August 13). Inside Amazon: 'Work hard, have fun, make history.' Fortune. https://fortune.com/2012/08/13/inside-amazon-work-hard-have-fun-make-history/
Parker, G., Van Alstyne, M., & Choudary, S. P. (2019, August 26). Platform revolution: How networked markets are transforming the economy and how to make them work for you. Norton.
Reed, D. (2014, August 28). Directing without directives at Netflix. strategy+business. https://www.strategy-business.com/article/00344
Semco. (2015, January 20). The Semco model of employee empowerment: Lessons for empowering change. Semco Partners. https://www.semco.com.br/en/about-us/semco-model
Additional Reading
Westover, J. H. (2024). Optimizing Organizations: Reinvention through People, Adapted Mindsets, and the Dynamics of Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.3
Westover, J. H. (2024). Reinventing Leadership: People-Centered Strategies for Empowering Organizational Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.4
Westover, J. H. (2024). Cultivating Engagement: Mastering Inclusive Leadership, Culture Change, and Data-Informed Decision Making. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.5
Westover, J. H. (2024). Energizing Innovation: Inspiring Peak Performance through Talent, Culture, and Growth. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.6
Westover, J. H. (2024). Championing Performance: Aligning Organizational and Employee Trust, Purpose, and Well-Being. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.7
Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Workforce Evolution: Strategies for Adapting to Changing Human Capital Needs. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.8
Westover, J. H. (2024). Navigating Change: Keys to Organizational Agility, Innovation, and Impact. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.11
Westover, J. H. (2024). Inspiring Purpose: Leading People and Unlocking Human Capacity in the Workplace. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.12
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). The Changing Role of Managers in the 21st Century Workplace. Human Capital Leadership Review, 16(1). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.16.1.5
