FRONT OF THE ROOMBrian Lange
I read an article in The Wall Street Journal that — at first glance — didn’t seem to have a connection to a column talking about our work at the front of the room. However, upon deeper reflection, I realize that the article absolutely has a connection to those of us tasked with facilitating corporate learning.
The article I read was “Your Boss Doesn’t Have Time to Talk to You” (in the Aug. 29, 2025 issue) and it explored how the nature of the relationship between bosses and employees is undergoing a dramatic shift in the American workplace. The article noted that at U.S. public companies, the number of managers has dropped 6% over the past three years. Remaining bosses are overseeing roughly triple the people they did almost a decade ago, according to data from research and advisory firm Gartner. This has implications for both managers and employees — both of whom sit in our audiences.
The skills and information that we convey in our training do not exist in a vacuum. There is context in which we as facilitators can clarify the material to further the meaning and impact.
In some instances, we are sending new hires into a situation in which their managers are likely to be spread thin. We are sending managers into a world in which they might feel like one of the people referenced in the article who said that he is “struggling to keep on top of everything” and that he generally feels a consistent state of “inadequacy.”
With this changing landscape in the workplace, managers may not have the ability or inclination to follow the “servant leadership” track. Perhaps we as facilitators can share some tips and strategies for getting needs met in the workplace.
Here are some ideas that may work for your learners’ situations:
Teach people that the workplace is changing. Careful nurturing and support from managers may not be as readily available moving forward (and this may not be a choice of the manager).
Suggest people add friends, mentors or peers as additional resources for problem-solving, career advice and other professional needs.
Collaborate clearly with your manager on what you know works for or is important to you in work relationships. For instance, personal connections, clear objectives, recognition, autonomy or amount of one-on-one time.
Devise mechanisms or strategies for documenting progress and contributions. Your boss won’t necessarily see it or know it due to their enhanced responsibilities. It can be hard to toot your own horn — but the reality is someone will have to.
Determine your own metrics or milestones for personal “wins.” This should be outside waiting for a performance review or bonus announcement. It contributes to achieving your own personal sense of progress or impact.
Most importantly: employees must notice when something isn’t working for them or when a concern has arisen. We must find healthy ways to express our feelings directly and in a timely manner so we can move forward. It is crucial to communicate with your manager as early as possible, putting the item “on the table” and getting both of you thinking about it, which helps reduce surprises, festering anxiety and resentment. It may be as simple as, “we haven’t discussed my performance in a deliberate way since last January. I’m feeling a bit unsure about where I stand and find myself questioning my impact.” This shares an honest insight and, ideally, sparks a conversation.
Regardless of the content of your delivery, there may be opportunities to help your learners better prepare for the environment in which they’ll be operating. Times change. So must we.
Brian Lange is with Perim Consulting and serves as lead facilitator for LTEN PrimeTime! For Trainers workshops. Email Brian at blange@perim.com or connect with him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brianplange.