Let's talk about something that's driving talented people away from otherwise great companies - the "flexible" approach of having people report to different managers on different projects. On paper, it sounds great. In reality? It's creating chaos.
The Problem With "Flexible" Management
Here's what I see happening in companies everywhere: People are working across multiple projects (great!), reporting to different managers on each one (not so great), and ending up with no one actually responsible for their growth.
Think about it:
- Who's watching out for their career development?
- Who notices when they're burning out?
- Who ensures they're getting the right opportunities?
- Who's actually invested in their long-term success?
When everyone's responsible, no one's responsible. And that's how good people slip through the cracks.
The Solution: One Direct Report Manager
I'm not talking about adding another layer of bureaucracy here. I'm talking about giving each person one manager who actually owns their success journey in your company.
This manager becomes their:
- Career custodian (yes, that's actually important)
- Development partner
- Accountability champion
- Go-to person for the real conversations
How It Actually Works
Your people still work on different projects with different leads (because that flexibility IS valuable). But they have one manager who:
- Owns their growth path
- Sets clear development goals
- Identifies training needs
- Creates opportunities
- Keeps them challenged (in a good way) - Gathers the full picture
- Collects feedback from project leads
- Sees patterns across projects
- Spots both struggles and wins
- Makes sure recognition happens - Provides real support
- Regular check-ins (not just when there's a problem)
- Career planning that actually goes somewhere
- Protection from burnout
- Advocacy when needed
Making The Switch
If you're thinking about implementing this, here's what actually works:
- Start with clarity
- Define who's responsible for what
- Make it crystal clear to everyone
- Don't overcomplicate it - Build the feedback loop
- Create simple ways for project leads to share insights
- Make it regular (not just during review time)
- Focus on what matters, not endless forms - Get your timing right
- Involve these managers from day one
- Make them part of recruitment
- Let them help shape roles
The Bottom Line
Your people need the flexibility to work across projects AND the stability of knowing someone's got their back. One direct manager gives them both.
Remember: Good people leave companies when they don't see a future. Give them someone who's actually responsible for helping create that future.
