The days of the pure manager are numbered. I’ve been watching this trend develop for some time now, and what Marketing Against the Grain’s Kipp Bodnar and Kieran Flanagan recently discussed only confirms my suspicions. These management dinosaurs—those who’ve abandoned their technical skills to solely coordinate others—are facing extinction within the next five years.
And honestly? Good riddance.
Why Traditional Management Is Failing
Pure managers have become organizational bottlenecks. They create unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, hoard critical information, and spend their days jumping from one meeting to another without adding tangible value. Their calendars are packed with status updates while their hands-on skills atrophy.
What’s most concerning is how these managers have completely lost their “vertical expertise” in favor of “horizontal oversight.” They can tell you about processes and reporting structures, but ask them to actually perform the work their team does? Many would struggle to deliver.
They lost all of their vertical expertise. They only have horizontal oversight.
This disconnect from the actual work creates a dangerous gap between leadership and execution. How can you effectively guide a team when you’ve forgotten what it takes to do the job?
The “Altitude Change” Test
The most valuable leaders in today’s environment possess what I call “altitude flexibility“—the ability to seamlessly move between strategic thinking and tactical execution. If you can’t change altitudes in your work, your role is at serious risk.
Here’s what altitude flexibility looks like in practice:
- Ground level – Rolling up your sleeves and doing the actual work
- Mid-altitude – Coordinating team efforts and removing obstacles
- High altitude – Setting vision and connecting work to larger business goals
The best leaders I’ve worked with can move between these levels effortlessly. They understand the details because they still engage with them regularly, which makes their strategic decisions more informed and practical.
AI Will Accelerate This Shift
As we enter what Bodnar and Flanagan call an “AI native world,” the transformation will only accelerate. AI tools are already automating many coordination tasks that middle managers traditionally handled:
- Meeting scheduling and follow-ups
- Progress tracking and reporting
- Information distribution and knowledge management
- Basic decision-making based on established parameters
This automation will expose managers who aren’t contributing beyond these administrative functions. The value proposition of pure management is rapidly diminishing.
How to Future-Proof Your Leadership
If you’re in management now, this might sound alarming—but it doesn’t have to be. The solution is straightforward: maintain your technical edge while developing your leadership abilities.
I recommend leaders spend at least 20% of their time doing the actual work their team performs. This keeps your skills sharp and your understanding current. It also earns you respect from your team members who see that you truly understand their challenges.
For those aspiring to leadership, don’t fall into the trap of thinking management means abandoning your craft. The most resilient career path involves deepening your expertise while broadening your impact.
The New Leadership Model
The future belongs to what I call “player-coaches”—leaders who can both perform and guide others. These hybrid roles combine hands-on work with strategic direction, eliminating the need for pure coordination roles.
This shift won’t make me popular with traditional managers, but the writing is on the wall. Organizations are flattening hierarchies and valuing those who can directly contribute while also leading others.
The most successful teams I’ve built have featured these player-coaches at every level. They move faster, communicate more effectively, and produce better results than teams with layers of pure managers.
So ask yourself: If your management role disappeared tomorrow, what tangible skills would you bring to the table? If the answer isn’t clear, it’s time to rebuild your technical foundation before AI and organizational evolution make your role obsolete.
The future of work demands leaders who can both think and do. Are you ready?
