Congrats, you’ve just been promoted to “do it all”

Tech giants are cutting managers and if you’re still standing, the real work just began.

Amazon. Microsoft. Meta. Google.

One by one, the headlines are clear: tech giants are flattening org charts and cutting layers of management.

Not in theory. Not someday. Right now.

For the managers who remain, it often means waking up to find your responsibilities doubled or even tripled. You’re not just leading your team anymore.

You’re onboarding new people who just lost their manager. You’re absorbing new projects, new tensions, new histories. And you’re doing it with the same calendar, the same resources, and the same pressure to perform.

Yes, this is an opportunity. The kind that can put your leadership growth into overdrive.

But opportunity without support is a recipe for burnout.

This Isn’t Just a Restructure. It’s a Cultural Moment.

When you inherit people midstream, especially after a reorg, you’re not just taking on tasks. You’re inheriting emotion: uncertainty, grief, frustration, even resentment.

And that emotion doesn’t stay in the past. It shows up in the present. In side comments. In background conversations. In silences. In the energy of your team.

Handled poorly, it corrodes trust. Handled well, it becomes a foundation for something stronger.

What to Do When You Inherit a Team You Didn't Ask For

Here are three things I guide managers to do in this moment—grounded in timeless leadership principles:

1. Build Relationships, One at a Time

Schedule 1:1s with every new team member, and treat them as more than intake sessions. This isn’t about status updates. It’s about starting a relationship.

Ask:

• “What did your last manager do that really worked for you?”

• “What’s one thing you wish people understood about how you work best?”

Listen fully. This is your first deposit in the trust bank.

Set up prescheduled weekly 30-minute 1:1s with every direct report. This is fundamental to building the relationship and building trust.

2. Acknowledge the Loss

Even if the reorg wasn’t your decision, it’s your responsibility now. Ignoring the disruption doesn’t make it go away.

Name it. Honor it. Let people know it’s okay to be frustrated, confused, or unsure.

When you normalize real emotion, you normalize real trust.

3. Reestablish a Shared Vision

Bring the full team together. Old and new. This is your moment to set the tone.

Ask:

• “What does great look like for us now?”

• “What do we want to be known for as a team?”

• “What values matter most to us?”

This isn’t about crafting a perfect mission statement. It’s about giving your team something to believe in—a vision of success that feels real, shared, and worth building together.

Let’s Talk

If you’ve recently inherited new team members (or whole teams) and you’re trying to hold it all together while building something new, I’d love to hear your story.

Right now, I’m conducting research conversations with tech industry managers who are leading through these changes.

[Schedule a confidential research call]

Or just hit reply and share what you’re seeing. I read every message.

Cheers,

Jeff