Management: coordinating to create value

Management is the set of activities that guide an organization toward its goals through the planning, coordination, and control of resources — people, time, money, and information. It’s what turns vision into concrete action. A good manager doesn’t just “keep things running”; they create the conditions where people can function well together.

In the Future of Work, the manager’s role is evolving: from task supervisor to context facilitator, from controller to enabler. That’s why management today is no longer just technical — it’s also relational, empathetic, and responsibility-driven.

Management vs Leadership: two roles, one balance

  • Management: organize, monitor, optimize. Focus on the what and the how.
  • Leadership: inspire, guide, generate vision. Focus on the why and the where.

These two roles are not opposites — they are complementary. A good manager must also be a leader, and a good leader cannot ignore management levers. In today’s work environment, blending both approaches is essential to manage teams effectively and humanely.

Key skills of contemporary management1

In a world where hard skills quickly become outdated, it’s relational and organizational abilities that make the difference. These are what make a manager effective — even in uncertain, complex, fast-changing environments.

The manager as coach: a new metaphor

Today, an effective manager is not just a “boss” — but a coach. They work on one-to-one relationships, nurture critical thinking, support skills development, and foster a climate where teams can thrive. One concrete example? Weekly one-to-ones: 30 minutes of authentic conversation with each team member measurably improves trust, clarity, and performance.

How management is changing in the Future of Work

  • More hybrid work → remote management, trust, autonomy
  • Increasingly diverse teams → cultural and inclusive intelligence
  • Pressure on wellbeing and retention → focus on climate, motivation, and burnout prevention
  • Ongoing reorganizations → flexibility, clear communication, managing ambiguity

Today’s manager must read weak signals, handle ambiguity, and promote collaboration even without direct oversight. They are a hybrid figure — part coordinator, part facilitator, part cultural architect.

Conclusion

Management is the backbone of any organization. But today, it’s not enough to simply “run things”: managers must know how to manage people in an effective, human, and sustainable way. The difference between a team that functions and one that generates real value lies in this balance between structure and flexibility, between organization and relationship.

References