I started my career at Accenture as an analyst, which for those unfamiliar with consulting, is the entry-level position—the lowest on the corporate food chain. In other words, I was the gazelle. You’re responsible for whatever gets thrown at you, without any decision making power.
This meant handling a wide range of tasks daily, from churning out procedures and presentations to configuring systems and running training sessions. I could be working on the same task for weeks, or switching activities three times in a single day.
However I always had a deep respect for my leaders, trusting them fully with every task they assigned me. Coming from a rural background, just stepping into the offices of prestigious companies like Roche or AstraZeneca felt like an achievement. I would never have complained about my assigned tasks.
My days varied wildly—from the excitement of a trip to Istanbul for a meeting in Turkish to more routine days buried in Excel.
But there was one thing I loved most: configuring systems.
Adding fields, changing layouts, and, occasionally, dabbling in a few lines of code—time would fly. Although, as some might point out, I wasn’t exactly a natural at it. Recognizing that, I shifted toward less technical roles, focusing on process analysis and project management. I found that what I enjoyed most was working closely with people—negotiating solutions, collaborating in teams, and engaging with clients. That’s when I realized I wanted a career centered around human interaction.
Throughout this journey, I was fortunate to have managers who genuinely cared about me, listened to me, and valued my interests even more than my technical skills—something many young professionals don’t often experience.
Understanding the Issue: Misaligned Roles Lead to Frustration
Today, I see many managers failing to recognize that employees give their best only when they’re engaged in roles that align with their interests and values.
This challenge is most apparent in teams where managers and employees belong to different generations, such as Gen Z employees managed by older colleagues. Indeed the generational gap is another issue and with Ciaran we discussed it in this article.
I continue to see managers pushing employees into roles because they excel in those tasks, even if they lack enthusiasm. And I totally understand it, it’s often easier to assign work to someone capable, even if it’s not what they’re passionate about, rather than going through the effort to hire someone who genuinely enjoys the role.
A classic example of this happens in IT consulting, where consultants are either more technically inclined or business-oriented. I’ve seen consultants with a great business sense stuck in technical roles for years simply because they’re proficient or hard to replace. Similarly, top-performing technical architects may be assigned managerial roles even when they had no interest or skills for them.
In both cases, the result is the same: frustration, feelings of inadequacy, and a decline in performance. Employees may feel they’re not valued or that they’re “ungrateful” for disliking a role they’re told they’re good at. And where does this lead? Decreased productivity—and guess who bears the blame?
Three Recommendations for Managers to Avoid This Trap
Focus on Soft Skills, Not Just Hard SkillsHard skills can be learned, and people tend to invest in them naturally (as I did, spending countless hours coding). Anyone can pick up system configuration or create a decent PowerPoint. But not everyone can handle difficult conversations with clients or manage tough discussions with employees. It’s the soft skills that lay the foundation for a fulfilling career.
Don’t Ask a Fish to Climb a TreeEarly on, assigning diverse tasks can help employees learn the basics and identify where their strengths lie. But once someone’s interests and talents emerge, it’s essential to leverage them. If an employee’s skills don’t align with the needs of the role, help them find a better fit—even if that means looking beyond your team. And remember, people’s interests evolve, and their roles should adapt to match.
Avoid Promoting Top Performers to Managers Unless They’re ReadyJust because someone is exceptional in their current role doesn’t mean they’ll make a great manager. Manager is not simply a more senior version of their current role. It is a completely different job, one that requires empathy, emotional intelligence, and strong communication skills—not to mention business acumen. A manager must sometimes make tough calls for the team’s good, even if it’s hard for individual team members to accept. If they can’t convey the urgency behind these decisions, they risk losing their team’s trust.
Being a manager is both the most challenging and rewarding role I’ve ever held, and I’m grateful for the remarkable managers who shaped my career. I still quote their insights in my mentoring sessions. Looking back, I see a common thread: my mentors were authoritative, empathetic, and exceptional communicators—and none of them were good at coding as far as I know.
Let’s stop asking fish to climb trees and start putting people where they can truly thrive. I've been lucky to have mentors who listened, guided, and placed real value on my strengths. But I know that not everyone gets that support.
That’s a big reason I chose to become a coach, and I co-founded Team Academy —so I could help other managers create environments where their teams feel valued and motivated to give their best.
If you’re a manager looking to strengthen your leadership or if you are an employee struggling with your current employment, we are here to help.
Let’s work together to build a culture where everyone can thrive.
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