The Management Gap: Why I’m Stepping Up While Gen Z Quits
There is a quiet crisis happening in corporate America right now. Mid-level managers are quitting in droves, citing burnout and "middle-man" stress, and Gen Z is largely refusing to take their place. They see the extra meetings and the added responsibility and they’re saying, "No thanks."
This has created a massive vacuum. Companies are becoming desperate for leaders—not necessarily "visionary CEOs" or "disruptive founders," but people who can simply make the machine work.
I’m looking at this landscape, and I’m not seeing a trap. I’m seeing an opportunity. While the world is busy avoiding the "boss" title, I’m stepping up. Here is why management is the ultimate 2026 wealth-building move.
1. The Power of "Frictionless" Leadership
Most people think getting promoted requires working 80 hours a week and "grinding" until you collapse. That’s the old way. In the new economy, the person who gets promoted is the one who reduces friction.
You want to be the person the boss calls when they need a result without a headache.
Anticipate, Don't React: Don’t wait for the crisis. If you see an issue coming in the next two hours, solve it now.
Reliability as a Feature: Do what you say you’re going to do, every single time. In a world of flakiness, consistency is a superpower.
Build the Process, Not the Fix: You don’t just solve a problem once; you build a system so it never happens again.
You become the "Safe Choice" because you stabilize the team rather than agitating it. You aren't a "shark" burning everyone out; you are the anchor.
2. Real-World Logistics: The "Bag Box" Principle
I apply this every day at Target. Lately, I’ve been pulled off the registers to focus on "Reshop"—getting items back on the shelves. Why? Because I’m the fastest at taking a chaotic pile of random items and getting them to their "homes."
But it’s more than just speed; it’s about Scalability. For example, when I see the check lanes are low on bags, I don't just grab one pack. I grab five boxes and fill every single lane at once. I’ve just eliminated a recurring problem for the next 10 people who will work those lanes. I’ve saved the manager from 10 "we’re out of bags" pages over the next five hours.
When you solve a problem for the next 10 people, you aren't just a worker anymore. You’re a System Architect.
3. Management is the "Corporate Index Fund"
This is the mindset shift that changes everything:
As a worker, you trade 1 hour of your life for 1 hour of pay. As a manager, you trade 1 hour of system-building for 40+ hours of team productivity.
Management is essentially automating your own productivity through other people. Think of it like an Index Fund. Instead of picking one "stock" (your own manual labor), you are diversifying your efforts across a group to ensure a steady, high-performing result. You are scaling your time. Moving from On-Demand to Full-Time was my first step in stabilizing my income; moving into management is the step that allows me to scale my impact.
4. Upskilling for the "Safe" Position
While the world is busy avoiding responsibility, I am focusing on Upskilling. Being the person the company cannot afford to lose is the safest financial position you can be in.
I’m not sure if I’ll stay with Target forever, but the skills of management—instruction, delegation, and operational oversight—are universal. When the leader is on lunch and I step up to direct the floor, I’m not just "helping out." I’m practicing for the next level.
2026 is the year of the System Builder. If you want to be safe, become the person who makes the machine run.
Are you running away from responsibility, or are you running toward the gap? True wealth comes from providing the value that others are too tired to give.
