You don’t work for a company, you work for a person.
It might say Company Name on the payslip, but your real experience, your growth, your stress, your visibility, your energy… it all runs through your manager.
Most people get this too late. They chase titles, brands, salaries. They land the job and only then realize: “Wait, who am I actually reporting to?” And from that moment on, everything changes. Because a good manager can change your life, and a bad one can slowly take the joy out of it.
Why This Matters
A good manager clears the path. They protect you when it matters, push you when it counts, and stay out of the way when you’re flying.
A bad one creates friction. They micromanage, they hide you, they take credit or block your moves. They use you as a buffer, a scapegoat, a tool. And the worst part? They can make you look like the problem.
That’s why choosing your manager isn’t a soft detail, it’s the hidden variable behind most career success or failure. You can have the best role on paper and still be miserable if you’re reporting into chaos.
But What If You Don’t Get to Choose?
You won’t always have the luxury. Sometimes the manager comes with the role or changes midstream. Sometimes you’re just glad to have the job. Fair. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless.
You can still observe and scan. Still learn what kind of leadership helps you grow and what kind holds you back. And if it turns out you’re stuck with someone who undermines, ignores, or confuses you? Easy: it’s time to quietly start your exit plan, because staying to “prove yourself” to the wrong person is a game you can’t win.
Signals to Watch For
If you do get a choice, even indirectly (during interviews, transitions, new projects) here’s what to pay attention to:
- How do they talk about their team?
- How does the team talk about them?
- Do they share credit, or absorb it?
- Do they build people, or drain them?
- Do they ask smart questions, or perform for the room?
It’s not about how charismatic they are. It’s about alignment. Do they lead in a way that you can grow?
Final Thought
Careers don’t die from one bad project, they die slowly from chasing approval that never comes. Pick your manager like you’d pick a mentor, a coach, or a guide: they don’t have to be perfect, they just need to be someone who sees you. Someone that supports you and helps you get better, on purpose.
At the end of the day, you’re not just building a career. You’re building a life. And that life runs through your day-to-day energy, your confidence. All of that starts with who you work for.
(Thanks to VF, who made a valid comment on a related LinkedIn post)