When a Manager Has No Idea What They’re Doing: A Workplace Tragedy (or Comedy?)
It starts off fine. Maybe even promising.
Your new manager walks into the first team meeting, shakes hands with everyone, and delivers an inspiring speech about collaboration, innovation, and taking the team to the next level. There’s a PowerPoint deck with motivational quotes, some light banter about company culture, and a well-rehearsed, “My door is always open” closing remark.
You’re optimistic. Maybe this will be good.
Then, reality hits.
By the end of week one, you realize: They have absolutely no idea what they’re doing.
The Slow, Painful Realization That You’re on a Sinking Ship
It starts small—little things you brush off at first. They’re vague in meetings, ask broad, meaningless questions, and seem a little too eager to “circle back” on simple issues.
But then, it gets worse.
They start throwing out corporate buzzwords like confetti at a parade, confidently using phrases like:
“We need to leverage our core synergies to drive strategic outcomes.”
“Let’s optimize our operational frameworks for better scalability.”
“I’d like us to take a proactive approach to cross-functional alignment.”
Translation? They’re stalling. Because deep down, they don’t understand the work, the expectations, or—let’s be honest—what they were hired to do in the first place.
The Panic Sets In (For Everyone Except Them)
Then come the meetings.
Not just your usual check-ins—meetings about meetings.
Your inbox starts filling up with calendar invites for “brainstorming sessions,” “alignment touchpoints,” and “collaborative deep dives.” You quickly realize these are just fancy ways of saying, “I have no idea what’s happening, so let’s all waste an hour talking about it.”
The panic is starting to spread among the team. You’re whispering in Slack DMs with your coworkers, sharing confused glances in meetings, and trying to reverse-engineer your manager’s cryptic directives into something actionable.
They, however, seem unbothered.
Instead of learning the scope of work, they’ve mastered the art of delegating responsibility while avoiding accountability. If a project goes well, they take the credit. If something falls apart? “I’ll need the team to take a more solutions-oriented approach moving forward.”
The Breaking Point: When It Becomes Painfully Obvious
The moment of reckoning usually comes when someone—either from another department, a client, or senior leadership—asks them a real, technical question.
And that’s when the unraveling begins.
Because when you’re a manager who has no experience in what you’re managing, one of two things happens:
The Word-Salad Escape: They start rambling in circles, using vague jargon to avoid admitting they have no idea what’s being asked. (“Well, it’s a dynamic process, and we’re still evaluating the best approach to ensure alignment with our strategic objectives.”)
The Hard Deflect: They immediately pass the question to someone else. (“That’s a great question! I’ll let [insert employee’s name] speak to that.”)
Either way, everyone in the room knows what just happened. And from that moment on, respect is gone.
So, How Does This Happen?
You might wonder: How did this person even get the job?
Well, there are a few common scenarios:
The “Good Employee = Good Leader” Myth – They were great at their last job, so someone assumed they’d be great at leading a team.
Politics Over Competence – Someone liked them, so they got the job. Whether they were qualified? Irrelevant.
The Last One Standing Situation – The position needed to be filled, and leadership said, “Eh, close enough.”
Whatever the reason, the result is the same: a manager who is completely out of their depth.
The Fallout: What Happens Next?
A manager who doesn’t understand the work can’t effectively lead a team. Sooner or later, frustration sets in. Good employees—the ones carrying the weight of the team—start looking elsewhere. Productivity declines. Decision-making becomes a never-ending cycle of “let’s revisit this later.”
And if leadership doesn’t step in? The team falls apart.
Is There a Fix?
Yes—but only if the manager is willing to learn.
Not every inexperienced manager is a lost cause. Some recognize their knowledge gap and actively seek coaching, training, and mentorship. They ask questions, listen to their team, and learn the work instead of just pretending to know it.
But the ones who dig in their heels, rely on buzzwords, and avoid accountability? They don’t get better. They get more defensive, more detached, and ultimately, more useless.
The Takeaway
Bad leadership isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a business risk. A manager who doesn’t understand the work can’t make good decisions, can’t support their team, and can’t lead effectively.
So, if you’re dealing with one of these managers? Stay sharp, document everything, and be ready for the day when leadership finally realizes the mistake they made.
And if you are one of these managers? It’s not too late—just put the buzzwords down, ask real questions, and start actually learning the work. Because sooner or later, everyone figures it out.