The Great Flattening: Why Tech Managers Are Losing the Human Touch

Paddy Lambros, CEO of Dex, describes the current state of management as increasingly tactical and transactional. With managers overseeing larger teams and juggling their own coding responsibilities, the focus has shifted from nurturing human potential to managing immediate output. Mitchell Kosowski, a software engineering manager at a tech startup, balances 20 direct reports with a heavy coding load, noting that the pressure to ship features often consumes the time once reserved for strategic career guidance.

This shift is forcing a broader industry rethink. Companies like Deel are increasing the number of direct reports per manager, banking on AI to automate administrative tasks. CEO Alex Bouaziz advocates for a "player-coach" model, arguing that layers of middle management are becoming obsolete. However, this transition carries risks; when teams grow too large, genuine interaction between leaders and individual contributors becomes nearly impossible.

To bridge the gap, some firms are folding development into daily operations. Scott Stevenson, cofounder of Spellbook, notes that traditional one-on-one meetings are often the first casualty of a fast-moving work week. In response, his company relies on formal midyear and annual reviews to ensure career trajectory discussions aren't permanently lost to the "fire hose" of daily tasks. For those feeling adrift, the consensus among leaders is clear: in an environment where managers are stretched thin, employees must proactively fight for time to discuss their growth.