{"id":470,"date":"2020-04-27T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-27T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubwp.buffalo.edu\/school-of-management-leadership\/?p=470"},"modified":"2026-03-12T15:48:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T19:48:36","slug":"the-manager-of-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubwp.buffalo.edu\/school-of-management-leadership\/2020\/04\/27\/the-manager-of-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"The Manager of the Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With work teams going remote, what has changed for managers\u2014and what hasn\u2019t? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Stephanie Argentine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Stephanie Argentine, Executive in Residence, Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Throughout his career, Harvard professor Clayton Christensen produced groundbreaking management insights, including his 1997 book, The Innovator\u2019s Dilemma<\/em>. But when he died earlier this year, the quote we saw most often was, \u201cManagement is the most noble of professions if it\u2019s practiced well. \u2026 No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow<\/strong>, take responsibility<\/strong> and be recognized for achievement<\/strong>, and contribute<\/strong> to the success of a team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the University at Buffalo School of Management, I teach a graduate-level hybrid course nicknamed \u201cThe Future of Work,\u201d Christensen\u2019s concept of \u201cdisruption\u201d\u2014how the future will disrupt the role of the manager\u2014is topical right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the punchline: I don\u2019t think the future will change the role of the manager. Oh, don\u2019t get me wrong, the future will change a lot of things\u2014we are seeing that right now. But the critical work of managers\u2014why we have them and what we need them to do\u2014won\u2019t change, at least not in my opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because the role of a manager is based on our needs as humans, and humans don\u2019t evolve as fast as work and the workplace do. That means, for the foreseeable future, the role of the manager will be the same tomorrow as it is today. And with the coronavirus crisis forcing our swift, wholesale move to remote and virtual work, it\u2019s important to recognize that what employees need from us as managers hasn\u2019t really changed.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that I\u2019ve given away my punchline, what is <\/em>the critical work of a manager?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can count our key duties as managers on one hand\u2014let\u2019s call them the five C\u2019s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n