The overly operational manager: when the problem is systemic, not personal

It is a common complaint from senior leadership: 'They are excellent, but they are always stuck in operational tasks. They don't have time to think about the team, they don't bring new proposals, they are not truly managing.' The usual proposed solution is a management training course. Sometimes this is the right answer. At other times, the manager returns from the course with clear ideas, only to find themselves in the exact same situation.

First, look at the workload

The first factor to consider is simple and often overlooked: how much operational work is actually assigned to the role. In many companies, the department head continues to manage the most important clients, cover for absences, and resolve complex cases. This is not by choice, but because no one else is able to do so. In these circumstances, asking them to take on more management activities means adding to their workload, not changing it.

The team's structure

The second factor is the team's composition. If all team members are junior, or if there is no intermediate figure capable of handling recurring problems, the manager inevitably becomes the final port of call for every issue. Similarly, a team that is too large makes it difficult to support individuals properly. The difference between seniority levels within the team directly affects the manager's available capacity.

Processes that create bottlenecks

The third factor is processes. Approvals, quality checks, exceptions: if every workflow requires the manager's sign-off, their schedule is determined by the system before they can make their own choices. These procedural steps were often introduced for good reasons but have never been reviewed.

An unclear mandate

The fourth, and perhaps most important, factor is the mandate. What does the company really expect from the role? In many cases, the expectations are contradictory: the manager is asked to develop their team but is evaluated on short-term operational results; they are asked to delegate, but senior leadership approaches them for every detail; they are asked to make decisions, but those decisions are later second-guessed. Faced with such signals, remaining focused on operational tasks is a rational choice: it is where the individual is seen and recognised.

When the issue is individual

There are, of course, situations where the limitation lies with the individual. This happens when, under the same conditions, other managers succeed in creating space for management duties; when the person tends to hold on to tasks they could delegate with the right control points; when they struggle to let go of the technical role in which they felt most competent. In these cases, a management development programme or executive coaching can make a real difference, especially if it helps the person redefine their professional identity after a promotion to a management role.

Assessing the situation as a whole

The distinction is not always clear-cut. Almost invariably, individual and organisational factors coexist, and addressing only one yields partial results. A good starting point is to ask: if we placed the best person we know in this role, would anything change? If the answer is no, the work needs to be done on the organisation. If the answer is yes, the focus should be on the individual's development. Very often, it is both.