Engineers Quote by Max Barry
““He strode briskly away, to do whatever it was the managers did. Have meetings, I guess. Make phone calls. It was hard for us on the technical side to understand why the company required so many managers. Engineers built things. Salespeople sold things. Even Human Resources I could understand, kind of. But managers proliferated despite performing very few identifiable functions.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Jennifer Government, Max Barry, 2003
Managers often multiply without clear purpose, creating bureaucracy that hinders technical work.
In simple terms: Too many managers cause inefficiency.
Key Takeaway
Clarify roles and reduce unnecessary layers.
Themes
bureaucracy
management
efficiency
Mood
frustrated
critical
Type
observational
critical
When to use this quote
- software development
- project planning
- team structure
- process improvement
Key Concepts
organizational design
role clarity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we measure a manager’s impact?
- What tasks truly require management?
A Different Perspective
Managers may be needed for coordination, not just numbers.
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