Each additional direct report above 7 costs $100K in reduced effectiveness.
Optimal span: 5-7 direct reports. At 8-10: manager effectiveness drops 20-30% (less coaching, slower decisions, more context switching). Above 10: effectiveness drops 40-50%.
Each report above 7 costs ~$100K in: reduced 1-on-1 quality, slower feedback cycles, delayed career development, increased attrition risk. Hire another manager at $200K rather than overloading at $400K+ in hidden costs.
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8 minPublished Work
This article expands on ideas from my published work in CIO.com, Built In, Mind the Product, and HackerNoon. View published articles →
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