Plenty of my friends have worn the manager or leader hat, at some point in their career.
Some still do.
But for those that have taken it off, I like to ask:
🗣 “Would you be a manager again, if the opportunity arose?”
The most common response?
“Hell, no.”
Why? Because managing people is tough.
There’s pressure from above, problems from below, and not much thanks in between.
And that’s exactly how younger professionals are starting to see it too.
A survey by Robert Walters revealed that 52% of Gen Z professionals in the UK prefer not to take on middle-management positions, with nearly 70% perceiving such roles as “high stress, low reward.”
This marks a new trend towards conscious un-bossing.
Ouch!
That’s a problem. Not just for the future of leadership. But for the future of work itself.
We need to rethink how we support and sell the idea of management.
When workplaces champion mentorship, growth, and meaningful impact, leadership becomes something people want, not something they avoid.
And they should want it.
Because being a great manager? It can be one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet.
Here’s why:
✅ You help shape people’s careers. A few thoughtful conversations can change someone’s path entirely.
✅ You see people grow — from hesitant and unsure, to confident and capable.
✅ You build the kind of culture people want to be a part of.
✅ You have influence. Over priorities. Over outcomes. Over the way work gets done.
✅ You become someone others rely on — not because they have to, but because they trust you.
✅ You’re constantly learning. About people. About performance. About yourself.
✅ You get to fix things. Improve things. Make work better.
✅ And sometimes, someone tells you that you made a difference — and you remember it for years.
This isn’t just “good stuff”. It’s magic.
How many jobs can offer that?
Sure, management is challenging.
But done well, it’s an incredible privilege.
So, to all my friends who were once brilliant managers but no longer want the gig:
🗣 The world of work needs you back — doing what you do best.
👇
Want help building a team you’re proud of, and being the kind of manager people remember for the right reasons?
Let’s chat 📞
