Are you an "accidental manager"? Take these 4 crucial steps

Key Takeaways

Workplace managers are thought to have the same impact on people’s mental health as their partners.
According to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) 82% of all managers are “accidental managers,” promoted without guidance or training.
Cultivating sustainable coaching cultures with less stressful work environments has never been more critical.

There is a global humanity crisis affecting our workplaces. And the cause? Poor management. According to Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report, those who work in companies with bad management practices are nearly 60% more likely to be stressed than those working in environments with good management practices. Gallup also found that the 41% of employees reporting “a lot of stress” is a cause of a “rapid increase in incivility at work”.

Combined with the malaise of low levels of employee engagement, where managers again account for at least 70% of the variance, the cost to the global economy of this crisis is a staggering US$8.9 trillion (9% of global GDP), a significant enough figure Gallup says “to make the difference between success and a failure for humanity.”

As much as this is an economic problem, it’s also a societal problem because workplace stress and disengagement spill over into our home lives. 83% of US workers say they’re emotionally drained from workplace stress, and 76% say it affects their personal relationships. Managers have a decisive role to play in this, as research has shown that they have the same impact on people’s mental health as their partners.

Is any of this surprising when the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has determined that 82% of all managers should be classified as accidental managers, promoted to people-management roles without guidance or training?

The UN’s 17 Global Goals for a fairer, better world include ‘decent work and economic growth,’ ‘good health and wellbeing,’ and ‘promote peaceful and inclusive societies.’ However, if organizations don’t act now to implement solutions, they will fail to commit to these goals. Untrained managers are being let loose on teams without the tools to lead them successfully.

Upskilling all managers and leaders is imperative to solving this global challenge. So, what changes can managers make to cultivate more inclusive, collaborative, and fairer workplaces where people can thrive?

#1 Ditch command-and-control

Because accidental managers are often promoted for their technical skills rather than any notable people management capability, and in the absence of guidance on stepping up from employee to manager, they typically adopt a command-and-control approach. Ill-equipped with the skills to help others develop, managers tend to do what they know best — fix their team’s problems by directing and telling them what to do.

This approach leaves little room for team members to think through issues and find solutions, inadvertently marginalizing them and creating a stressful working environment for staff and managers alike. Employees begin to worry that they must run every issue by their manager or solve new issues in precisely ‘the manager’s way,’ so the cycle continues with the manager stepping in to every problem, only adding to their already heavy workload. Consequently, staff become demotivated and disengaged by their lack of advancement, perceiving their manager as not having a vested interest in their growth, leading to poor productivity.

#2 Become “inquiry-led”

Accidental managers must instead take an enquiry-led approach to caring for their team members. This means learning to ask more powerful and stimulating questions that generate positive outcomes.

Questions are key to increasing performance and engagement and fostering an authentic connection with staff. Whenever a manager asks a well-intentioned question about a problem, they help engage the other person’s problem-solving capabilities by shifting their focus onto what they can change about the situation.

This opens employees up to a wealth of skills development. It can help them prioritize their tasks more efficiently, build confidence in their decision-making, and foster a more profound sense of purpose in their work. Questions asked purposefully indicate the manager’s belief in the employee’s capability to succeed, which lays a vital foundation of trust and collaboration that motivates staff to excel within the organization.

A good place for managers to start is by replacing “why?” questions with “what?” questions. Why-based questions can feel personal, like the employee is to blame somehow or that they’re being criticized, which can lead to defensiveness. Replacing why…? with what…? removes the (unintended) personal inference from a question and focuses on the situation itself. Then, the employee is more likely to be open to exploring specifics rather than feel that they need to justify or defend their actions.

#3 Cultivate a coaching mindset

For many organizations, developing coaching skills in their managers has become a popular response to stem declining employee engagement and rising stress. They have invested heavily in Manager as Coach-type programs yet have broadly failed to record meaningful behavioral changes among their management populations, or even integrate coaching successfully into the workplace. In fact, according to CIPD’s (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) 2024 Good Work Index, only 8% of respondents said they received any coaching.

One reason is that coaching continues to be taught as a transactional skill. Managers learn how to conduct formal, structured coaching sessions with employees only to discover that work doesn’t revolve around a series of sit-down, one-to-one conversations that this type of coaching demands. This approach isn’t fit for purpose in the “busy-ness” of work.

Instead, managers must develop a coaching mindset by increasing their situational awareness, stopping themselves from stepping into every problem, and instead practice asking insightful questions during daily staff conversations. This fundamental shift in mindset allows managers to identify coachable moments which afford the opportunity to encourage the development and continuous performance improvement of their teams.

This new form of coaching — Operational Coaching — brings coaching into the flow of work by developing a management style that is less directive (tell) and more engaging (ask). In an extensive randomized control trial conducted by the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE) on behalf of the UK government, researchers proved that managers and leaders who learned these skills and adopted this Operational Coaching style spent an average of 70% more time coaching their teams in the flow of work.

#4 Shift from manager to enabler

We need a new mental model of management to overcome the centuries-old idea that it’s about managing people. Genuine people management should be about enabling others, helping them flourish, and bringing out the best in teams. Supporting staff on a journey of continuous performance improvement fundamentally changes the balance of the relationship. Instead of being perceived as the boss, with staff bringing problems to direct, managers shift accountability back to the individual by stimulating their thinking and helping them gain confidence to take action. Enabling and empowering them establishes a more equitable relationship and transforms managers into enablers.

Conclusion

By ditching the prevailing command-and-control approach and learning to adopt an Operational Coaching style, managers can truly enable their staff to succeed. This ultimately has a domino effect in organizations: Managers feel more confident in their ability to support their teams, staff become more engaged and motivated to develop, and the culture becomes less stressful, more collaborative, and inclusive for everyone.

Cultivating sustainable coaching cultures with less stressful work environments has never been more critical. The key to solving this global challenge is reinventing the role and perception of managers and leaders and equipping them with the modern engagement skills needed to invite the full and willing participation of the workforce.

Author: Dominic Ashley-Timms

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Change Management - Mountain Range Strategy

Is Your Change Strategy Built for Everest or the Rockies?

By Mark Jacaman • June 18, 2025

Navigating the Mountain Range: A Holistic Approach to Continuous Change Management Imagine this: You've got peaks wrapped in fog so thick you can barely make out their shape. Others are bathed in light, looking like something from a postcard. And some? They're the ones that make experienced climbers take a long, hard look and mutter "well, this isn't going to be fun.". This isn't your typical "climb one mountain and you're done" scenario – this is the reality of modern change management. Do we still think of managing organizational change like climbing a single summit? You plan, you climb, you reach the summit, plant your flag, and celebrate. Mission accomplished, right? Well, not quite. Today's business landscape looks more like that endless mountain range, where reaching one peak only reveals more challenges ahead. Why Our Old Maps Are Being Challenged Remember when change management felt more predictable? Things seemed more straightforward, didn't they? You'd identify a problem, implement a solution, and move on to the next project. Those were the days of the single-summit mentality—a linear approach that worked beautifully when change happened at a more manageable and leisurely pace. The world didn't get that memo about slowing down. Instead, it decided to throw us curveball after curveball. Digital transformation, remote work revolutions, supply chain disruptions, and evolving customer expectations all hit us simultaneously. Suddenly, that neat, orderly approach to change started feeling like using a paper map in a constantly shifting landscape. The traditional change management model assumed we could control variables, predict outcomes, and follow a step-by-step process. It was like planning to climb Mount Everest with a detailed itinerary, assuming perfect weather and no surprises. Sounds unrealistic now. Many Peaks, Not Just One Summit This is where the mountain range metaphor really clicks for me. In today's organizations, you're rarely dealing with one change initiative at a time. You may be implementing new technology while restructuring teams, launching new products, and adapting to regulatory changes – all at the same time. Time to juggle! Think about your own experience: when did you last work on just one major change project? If you're like most professionals, you're likely juggling multiple transformation efforts at the moment. Each one represents a different peak in your mountain range, and they're all screaming for attention at the same time. This means we may need to fundamentally shift how we're approaching change management—maybe even just how we think about it. Think about how a skilled mountaineer approaches a challenging range. They don't just pick one peak and tunnel-vision their way to the top. Instead, they're constantly reading the terrain, weather patterns, and their own energy levels. Some routes naturally flow into each other. Other peaks can be climbed simultaneously with different team members. And sometimes? You have to swallow your pride, turn around, and find a completely different way up. The old approach—finish Project A, then start Project B—feels neat and tidy, but it's completely disconnected from how change actually works in the real world. Changes overlap, influence each other, and create unexpected opportunities or roadblocks. When you start seeing continous change like a mountaineer sees a range of peaks, something interesting happens: the chaos starts making sense. What felt overwhelming becomes manageable because you're working with the natural flow of change rather than fighting against it. I'm not a fan, but for me I need a model to think about this. When you accept that continuous change is the norm rather than the exception, it may help us to stop feeling overwhelmed by the constant state of transition and start building systems that help us thrive in it. Interconnectedness and Ecosystem Mountains in the range don't exist in isolation, and neither do the changes in your organization. Pull one thread, and you'll find it's connected to three others you didn't even know existed. Change one process, and you'll suddenly impact systems, people, and outcomes across multiple departments. Sometimes, it's like a giant spider's web. This interconnectedness means we need to think more like ecologists rather than engineers. Instead of viewing each change as a separate mechanical adjustment, we need to grasp how alterations in one area ripple through the organizational ecosystem. Consider what happens when you introduce new software. It's not just about training people to use a new tool. I wish! You're potentially changing workflows, communication patterns, reporting structures, and even the whole office vibe. The IT team feels it; the finance department adapts its processes, and customer service may need to adjust its approach. It's a perfect example of how one "peak" affects the entire mountain range. Unpredictable Weather and Terrain An experienced mountaineer knows that weather can change in an instant. One moment, you're enjoying clear skies, and the next, you're caught in a sudden storm. The same kind of unpredictability defines today's business environment. Market conditions shift overnight, new competitors emerge from unexpected directions, new regulations or laws impact norms, new technology, AI implementations, and global events can completely reshape your industry. Remember how quickly remote work went from "nice to have" to "absolutely essential" during the pandemic? These disruptions surprise even well-prepared organizations, regardless of their planning sophistication. What is your planning approach? The shift moves from creating inflexible blueprints that assume predictable conditions to developing resilient change management frameworks that thrive on uncertainty. These adaptive strategies don't just respond to change—they anticipate variability and build flexibility into their core design. It helps to think of it like having multiple route options mapped out before the climb starts. You know your primary path, but you've also identified alternative routes in case weather, terrain, or other factors force you to adapt. This approach sustains progress even as conditions shift beneath your feet and challenges your assumptions. Varying Levels of Difficulty and Expertise Not every peak in the mountain range requires the same skill level. Some changes are like gentle hills that most team members can handle with basic preparation. Others are technical climbs that demand specialized expertise and extensive training. A key is accurately assessing the difficulty level of each change initiative and matching it with the right level of support and expertise. A simple process update requires minimal guidance, while a complete digital transformation requires bringing in specialized guides (consultants), advanced equipment (technology), and extensive training for your team. This smart assessment prevents two common mistakes: overwhelming people with unnecessary complexity for simple changes, and under-preparing teams for genuinely challenging transformations. It's about right-sizing your approach to match the mountain you're actually climbing. Building organizational change capability becomes crucial here. Just as mountaineers develop their skills over time, your team needs opportunities to build change, resilience,e, and adaptability through progressively challenging experiences. It's like a fitness program for change – think long-term! The Importance of Guides, Equipment, and Base Camps No sensible person attempts to climb a mountain range without proper support systems. You need experienced guides who know the terrain, reliable equipment that can handle various conditions, and safe base camps where you can rest, regroup, and plan your next moves. In organizational change, formal and informal leaders serve as guides. They need to know the terrain (your organization's culture, capabilities, and constraints), understand the weather patterns (market conditions and external factors), and help team members navigate safely from one peak to the next. But guides aren't enough. You also need the right equipment – think tools, processes, and resources that support change efforts. And base camps? They're equally crucial. These are the stable "places" in your organization where people can catch their breath, process what they've learned, and prepare for the next challenge. Without these recovery spaces, even the strongest teams eventually burn out from continuous climbing. I have been there. Personal Growth and Resilience of the Climbers (Employees) Perhaps the most significant aspect of the mountain range metaphor is what it reveals about personal growth and development. Every climb changes the climber. Conquering each peak builds not only skill but also confidence, resilience, and adaptability. Your employees aren't just passive participants in change – they're actually developing into change agents themselves. Every successful navigation of a transformation builds their "change muscle." They become more comfortable with uncertainty, more skilled at adapting to new situations, and more confident in their ability to handle whatever comes next. Pretty cool? Personal growth is crucial for building organizations that can thrive in continuous change environments. Through these change experiences, we have the opportunity to transform our relationship with change. When people see themselves as capable mountain climbers rather than reluctant participants, their entire relationship with change transforms. Investing in this personal development pays dividends across all future change initiatives. Conclusion The mountain range metaphor is a helpful for me to see change in our modern world – it's a fundamental reframing that can transform how people and organizations approach continuous transformation. Instead of viewing change as a series of discrete projects to be completed, we can embrace it as an ongoing journey through varied and interconnected challenges. This shift in perspective brings several practical benefits: it normalizes that feeling of constant change, it promotes adaptive planning, and it focuses attention on building long-term organizational capabilities rather than just completing individual projects. The question isn't whether you'll face multiple peaks simultaneously – it's whether you'll be prepared to navigate them skillfully. What to do now? Start building or improve your base camps, train your guides, and develop your climbers.

A black letter board with the word value written on it.

What is the Value of Design Thinking?

January 13, 2025

From the perspective of using different tools, the key is their value in influencing the effectiveness of the organization. What is the value of using Design Thinking? To answer this question, it is particularly useful to look at two studies that have analyzed the impact of Design Thinking processes on revenue and on the cost and duration of projects. Measuring Design's Impact: The ROI of Future-Forward Thinking In McKinsey & Company was created the McKinsey Design Index (MDI) which refers to practices related to Design used in an organization. Higher MDI translates into higher level of using practices associated with Design Thinking. On the basis of collected information it is possible to see a correlation between Design practices and income of an organization. These companies which have high level of the McKinsey Design Index within 5 years achieved approximately 10% higher average income than companies which do not use the Design practices (approx. 3-6%). The studies were conducted on the basis of the data acquired from MDI (McKinsey Design Index), S&P 500 (market index that comprises of 500 companies with the highest capitalization quoted on New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. In McKinsey & Company “The business value of design” (https://mck.co/3vANtfp) IBM commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study and examine the potential return on investment (ROI) enterprises may realize by engaging IBM’s Design Thinking practice. The purpose of this study is to provide readers with a framework to evaluate design thinking’s potential financial impact for both individual projects and a grander organizational transformation. To better understand the benefits, costs, and risks associated with this investment, Forrester interviewed four of IBM’s Design Thinking clients and surveyed an additional 60 executives who have employed design thinking at their organizations, some with and some without IBM. These organizations turned to design thinking to address a variety of challenges Findings: · Organizations slashed the time required for initial design and alignment by 75%. · Project teams leveraged better designs and user understanding to reduce development and testing time by at 33%. · Design Thinking practice helped projects cut design defects in half. Projects were more successful in meeting user needs, thereby reducing design defects and subsequent rework. · Faster time-to-market enabled increased profits from net new customers and the higher present value of expected profits. · Improved collaboration and business strategy drove increased customer experience and sales, streamlined processes, and reduced project labor. The Total Economic Impact™ Of IBM’s Design Thinking Practice ( https://ibm.co/3PM9MFy )

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