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So the issue isn't all managers but rather how few good managers there actually are. I think companies don't know how to optimize for good management because,

So the issue isn't all managers but rather how few good managers there actually are. I think companies don't know how to optimize for good management because, as the other person mentioned, good management can be invisible. The impact of good management often won't show up in one quarter of performance. And sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. Also there are way too many incentives to promote ICs to managers who shouldn't be managers just because they need someone to manage a team and they don't have clear IC promotion tracks.

Justsignedup 3y ago
Adding on to your statement. I think this is the crux of the problem. Organizing people efficiently is hard. And unfortunately the incentives for mangers are: the more people under you the more valuable you are. And you must hit goals because managers are directly judged based on team outcomes. The problem is "turtles all the way down". Because of the above, often directors aren't amazing mentors. They just know how to push people into the right direction... Socialized bad guy if you will. So instead of managers getting solid mentorship, they are often thrust into a position of power and told to figure it out, well for many, as you see with how they raise children, figure it out = ruthless. I have had a manager who ended up as a mentor/friend. That is because she always cared.