Book Review: The Irresistible Manager
The manager's role is that of a talent builder. Pay deep attention to who you promote to be a manager. They have an outsized impact.
A former colleague told me the other day, “My span of control has doubled. I now report to my skip level manager and my influence feels cut in half.” You have probably seen this happening around you.
Managers are being asked to do more—with less support, less clarity, and often, less job security. Big firms are removing layers. Spans are widening. And somewhere along the way, the role that once gave people direction and development is becoming optional. Is that the way forward? Have people managers lost their relevance. That’s what drew me to The Irresistible Manager by Bhushan Kulkarni.
In 2025, companies across industries are flattening organizational hierarchies—and middle managers are disappearing. Pharmaceutical giant Bayer cut around 40% of its middle management to build self-organizing teams and boost agility.
Across tech, the “Great Flattening” continues: Microsoft eliminated thousands of roles—including managerial positions—during multiple layoff waves totaling over 15,000 jobs, part of its shift toward AI‑driven efficiency. Tata Consultancy Services announced reductions of 12,200 roles (~2% of its workforce), mostly middle and senior managers, citing a skills mismatch as it reshapes for a digital future.
These moves may save costs—but they often erode trust and sabotage human leadership. Companies may gain short‑term agility, but they lose proximity, mentorship, and the relational glue that lives in middle layers. What they’re missing is the ability to build and sustain engagement, collaboration, and development—especially when technology does not replace the human need for purpose, clarity, and psychological safety.
Building trust in an era of layoffs
The Irresistible Manager by Bhushan Kulkarni is a guide for managers navigating flattened orgs, AI disruption, and widening spans of control. Rather than offering superficial tips, the book asks: who do you need to become to lead others in uncertain times?
Whether you’re a first-time manager, leading Gen Z teams, or guiding larger squads with leaner resources—this book offers the clarity, resilience, and real-world tools to lead with impact, empathy, and courage.
Many decisions about jobs, promotions, or layoffs are increasingly being taken at the top. Managers are the messengers, not the makers of those calls. That breaks trust. People want managers not messengers of the powers that be. That unfortunately is increasingly the case.
This is where I wish the book had gone even deeper. Because leading in times like these means building trust when you don’t control the outcomes. It’s a harder kind of leadership.
Be honest, even when it’s uncomfortable. People value clarity more than reassurance.
Make your team feel seen—even if you can’t make them feel safe.
Invest in their growth, not just their deliverables. That’s how people know you’re in their corner.
Great Teams Aren’t Just Built. They’re Curated.
Two suggestions for the next edition
Manager Archetypes. Sometimes, self-awareness starts with recognizing ourselves in a mirror. A few personas (e.g., The Hero, The Micromanager, The Ghost) would help readers locate their patterns faster.
Cross-cultural nuance. Many of the insights are rooted in Indian contexts (which I loved). But adding examples from global teams would help managers navigating hybrid, multicultural setups.
In a world that’s cutting middle management, this book reminds us:
What people still crave isn’t a boss. It’s someone who sees them, grows them, and helps them matter.