The role of managers has always been to turn strategy into reality, from line officers in the military translating generals’ orders into tactical action, to textile mill supervisors ensuring machines kept running, tasks were completed, and owners were satisfied. Managers have always made things happen.

Today however, the role is almost unrecognisable. Modern line managers must juggle compliance, wellbeing, engagement, hybrid and remote teams, inclusion, and innovation, all alongside the operational targets they’re still expected to hit. And this is before they even get to their own day job.

With organisations adopting more emergent strategies to cope with an unpredictable world, senior leaders are increasingly drawn into day-to-day tactical planning. This begs the question: If executives are now so involved in the details, what’s left for line managers?

It’s time we take a step back and ask, what do we truly want from our line managers?

If their role is reduced to communicating plans and ensuring compliance, is it any wonder fewer people want the job?

The answer therefore is to develop the role. Line managers should become the critical accelerators of people’s development while fuelling the smooth, efficient running of the organisation.

From manager to facilitator

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a facilitator as: “Someone who helps to bring about an outcome (such as learning, productivity, or communication) by providing indirect or unobtrusive assistance, guidance, or supervision.”

Now imagine if every line manager saw their role through this lens of driving learning, boosting productivity, and strengthening communication between teams. The impact could be transformative.

Employee engagement surveys consistently highlight three areas for improvement of personal development, operational efficiency, and communication. A facilitator-led approach targets all three.

So, what would this ‘evolved’ role involve?

1. Developing learning

With budgets tight, teams are under pressure to do more with less. Organisations hold vast reserves of tactical knowledge but it often remains locked in people’s heads. Learning & Development functions can feel too far removed from the day-to-day realities of teamwork.

Facilitators could bridge that gap. By working closely with their teams, they could identify real, immediate development needs and create localised learning opportunities that address practical, on-the-ground challenges. This would move away from generic training programmes and focus instead on interventions that directly boost performance and productivity.

2. Improving Productivity

Ask employees in any well-run focus group and you’ll often hear the same thing and that is: we know what needs fixing, we just can’t change it.

Empowering facilitators with the authority to make operational improvements, providing they don’t negatively impact other teams – would embed a continuous improvement mindset. This would give teams ownership over solutions and give facilitators the ability to make tangible changes that lift performance.

3. Enhancing communication

Silos remain one of the biggest barriers to effective collaboration. Monthly facilitator forums, where facilitators from across the organisation meet to share updates, solve problems, and coordinate improvements – could break down those walls.

Unlike the traditional manager title, which can carry a sense of “tribal” allegiance to one’s own team, the facilitator’s remit is inherently collaborative. Whether within their own team or across departments, their role is to connect, align, and remove friction, would reduce the wasted energy of teams working at cross purposes.

The case for change

Organisations are evolving, but the pace of change and level of uncertainty are unprecedented. This means we must also evolve how we work and how we support those who lead others.

The old “command and control” model of leadership has long since expired. The future belongs to leaders who can enable, connect, and adapt their people.

Managers should step into the role every organisation truly needs which is:

• Developers of talent
• Champions of collaboration
• Drivers of operational excellence

In short, it’s time for managers to evolve into facilitators – the people who turn strategy into human-powered success.

www.and-evolve.com