“I hate being a manager” — An argument for leadership positions without direct reports

We’ve all heard the career narrative — the journey from an independent contributor (IC) to managing one person, then two, eventually leading a team. It’s a stairway to success, a climb up the organizational ladder. However, when it comes to Director, VP, and above positions, the expectation is often to have direct reports, leading to responsibilities ranging from growth and development to performance management. But what if you find those aspects unappealing or are simply not adept at them?

What if your passion lies in setting strategy, doing IC work, and delegating tasks, but you don’t want to manage people?

As a founder, I advocate for situations where senior-level positions can focus on strategy without necessarily having to manage individuals. Why? Because it’s not always efficient, and not everyone is equipped or inclined to manage people. Forcing individuals into roles they aren’t trained for or passionate about creates dissatisfaction for both leaders and direct reports. On the flip side, some thrive in people management roles.

People quit bosses, not jobs

So, why do we keep making people manage who don’t want to and shouldn’t? We claim it’s for the sake of efficiency and so that people can do it all — but the fact…