Your Manager Is Either Amazing or Terrible (And Nobody Knows Why)

The research behind why we can measure great leadership but can't define it

In my 18-year career at Amazon, I had over 20 managers. Some were exceptional, others... not so much.

While I recently wrote and article about how AI might eventually replace front-line and middle management, that future is still years away. Until then, your manager remains one of the most crucial factors in your work life—and by extension, your personal life.

Here's the paradox: Everyone can tell a good manager from a bad one, but no one can explain why. Every positive trait has an equal and opposite interpretation:

• "My manager is really engaged and close to the details" → "My manager micromanages everything"

• "My manager trusts me to act independently" → "My manager is absent when I need them"

• "My manager is really friendly" → "This manager thinks we're friends instead of doing their job"

• "My manager gives direct feedback" → "My manager is unnecessarily harsh and critical"

• "My manager protects the team from distractions" → "My manager keeps us in the dark about important things"