Source: Fortune
Summary
Fortune’s CEO Daily discusses the latest management trend, “player-coaches,” and how it’s being implemented in Silicon Valley. The article argues that companies like Coinbase and Meta are misunderstanding the importance of managers and are instead focusing on flattening their organizations. The author, Diane Brady, suggests that nurturing great managers is crucial for a company’s success and that technology can enhance, but not replace, the role of managers. She also highlights the importance of leadership at all levels and notes that the best leaders appreciate the value of leadership in all forms.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
Coinbase’s revenue dropped 22% and the company posted a net loss last quarter, yet CEO Brian Armstrong is dismissing “pure managers” as people who slow things down. Meanwhile, CEOs like Marvin Ellison of Lowe’s and Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani are inspiring their employees with purpose-driven leadership. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is cutting back on “people-oriented things” to invest in compute infrastructure. The contrast between these approaches is striking. As Gallup CEO Jon Clifton noted, work enjoyment is strongly linked to wellbeing and longevity, and the key factor determining that enjoyment is how employees feel about their boss.
The strategy enters a familiar phase.
Companies like Coinbase and Meta are trying to reimagine work and leadership in the age of AI, but they may be looking in the wrong direction. Instead of vilifying managers, they should focus on nurturing great leaders who can inspire and motivate their employees. The best leaders appreciate the importance of leadership at all levels and understand that technology can enhance, but not replace, the role of managers.
Author: Evan Null
