According to a recent Wall Street Journal article (Reasons Why Managers Are So Miserable at Work by Ray A Smith, August 4, 2025) managers are frustrated and under more pressure than ever before. 

Tasked with translating strategic visions into operational realities, managers are expected to motivate teams, facilitate change, and foster both productivity and well-being. Yet, according to research conducted by the Gallup Organization, a startling proportion of managers report being miserable at work. This pervasive dissatisfaction is not merely a function of individual shortcomings; rather, it emerges from systemic issues, chief among them being a lack of sufficient training and preparation for the complexities of management.

Gallup’s extensive surveys on workplace engagement and satisfaction have repeatedly uncovered a worrying trend: managers are frequently less engaged and less satisfied than the teams they oversee. Their misery is often hidden beneath a veneer of professionalism, yet it radiates through organizations, affecting morale, retention, and ultimately, business outcomes. One of the primary reasons Gallup identifies for this widespread unhappiness is the chronic lack of investment in managerial training and preparation.

The role of a manager is both art and science. Effective managers require a nuanced set of skills: emotional intelligence, clear communication, conflict resolution, strategic thinking, and the ability to coach and develop others. However, in many organizations, high-performing individual contributors are promoted into management roles with little more than a congratulatory handshake and perhaps a cursory workshop. They are expected to intuitively know how to lead, even though the skillset required is dramatically different from that of a technical specialist or front-line worker.

Gallup’s research reveals that only one in ten people possess the natural talent to manage others. Of the remaining nine, many could become effective managers with the right training and support—yet such development is rarely offered. The ramifications are profound: managers feel unprepared, unsupported, and overwhelmed by their new responsibilities.

Few industry leaders would ever think of turning a team member loose to operate a sophisticated piece of equipment without sufficient training.  This preparation is considered part of the investment cost, especially when adding new production capacity and/or advanced technology.  Yet, “managers” are often appointed and given substantial responsibility with little or no sustained preparation or training.

One of the best management training options for emerging industry leaders is the Graphic Communications Leadership Institute (GCLI).  Now in its fifth year, GCLI draws members from some of the industry’s most successful, innovative organizations.  Four quarterly workshops focus on basic business elements while advancing the supervisory, managerial and leadership capabilities of each member. 

Visit gcleadershipinstitute.com to learn more.

For more ways to advance the managerial and leadership capabilities throughout your organization, contact me at joe@ajstrategy.com or visit my website ajstrategy.com.