Career Candour

Career Candour

Modern Management Theories Are Great, Unless You Actually Want to Run a Business

Elite firms in law, finance, and consulting aren’t flattening hierarchies. They’re doubling down on engineered dependency. Here’s why it works so well.

Leigh McKiernon's avatar
Leigh McKiernon
Sep 24, 2025
∙ Paid
  • Decentralize decision-making!

  • Empower teams!

  • Flatten hierarchies!

  • Let a thousand agile stand-ups bloom!

So declares the high priesthood of modern management, usually while pitching a $2,500 course that promises to "unlock team potential" through a pastel-colored slide deck and a 12-episode podcast recorded in a converted yurt. These slogans have become s…

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