At Transform’s People, Culture, and the Future of Work series, Kamaria Scott, founder and CEO of Annetic, shared her front-row insights into the challenges—and opportunities—facing today’s first-line and middle managers. With experience improving the performance of people leaders through development, enablement, performance consulting, and change activation, Scott offered a candid look at what it takes to lead high-performing teams in today’s complex workplace.
Key Takeaways — Kamaria Scott at Transform
- Managers: Lead with both relationships and results — balance empathy for your team with business priorities.
- Development: Managers must be trained and supported, not left to “figure it out” on their own.
- Skills: Self-awareness, coaching, strategic thinking, and project management are essential.
- Organizational Support: Systems, policies, and culture must reinforce good leadership behavior.
- Future Challenge: Younger generations are increasingly reluctant to take on people leadership roles.
First-Line and Middle Managers: The Balancing Act
Many managers are promoted from individual contributor roles without sufficient training. Scott emphasizes that people leaders face dual pressures:
- A duty of care to their direct reports.
- A responsibility to deliver business outcomes.
Managers must balance empathy with execution and navigate subjective decision-making even when organizational systems aren’t fully aligned.
Develop, Enable, Activate: A Framework for Leadership Success
To prepare managers, organizations should approach leadership development systematically:
- Develop: Provide quality, longitudinal training to build foundational skills such as self-awareness, communication, and feedback.
- Enable: Equip managers with tools, project management skills, and a clear understanding of what “good” looks like in the organization.
- Activate: Support managers in applying their skills through coaching, peer communities, and alignment with organizational systems and processes.
Without this structured support, managers are left “figuring it out” on their own, often having to shield their teams from organizational chaos.
The Role of Coaching and Strategic Leadership
Effective managers act as both coaches and strategists:
- Coach: Guide team members to achieve goals, analyze performance gaps, and foster growth.
- Strategist: Align teams with organizational objectives, solve problems, and make informed decisions across complex environments.
Organizational Alignment: Supporting People Leaders
Scott warns that poor organizational design can undermine leadership:
- Compensating leaders solely on results can discourage quality people leadership.
- Inadequate processes, policies, or systems force managers to navigate obstacles independently.
- The organizational environment often reinforces undesirable behavior if managers must constantly “fight the system” to lead effectively.
A Bold Prediction: The Challenge of Future People Leaders
Scott observes a growing trend: Gen Z employees are increasingly reluctant to pursue people leadership roles. Organizations must rethink the way leadership roles are structured and ensure the support, training, and recognition exist to make these positions attractive and sustainable.
Final Thought
Whether you are a first-line manager or a senior executive, Scott’s advice boils down to this: develop managers thoughtfully, provide organizational support, and create an environment where leadership behavior is reinforced—not undermined. The future of work favors organizations that align their systems, culture, and leadership development programs to empower people leaders while maintaining business performance.
