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‘Manager matters more than organisation’: Professional with 16 years’ experience shares career advice
A viral career post argues that employees should prioritise their manager over the organisation.
A 16-year corporate professional’s post on X has sparked a familiar workplace debate about what matters more in a career, the company you work for or the manager you report to. The author strongly argues that it is the manager and this view has split opinions online.
In the post, they reflect on working across different roles, countries and industries and offer a blunt take on how careers actually grow in the real world.
‘You work for your manager, not the organisation’
The post read, “Next week I will complete 16 years in the corporate world. Four employers. Four countries. Four sectors. As foolish as I was on that humid morning in 2010, only one advice from 16 years of working: you never work for the organisation. You work for your manager. Your only aim is to make your manager look better in front of others. The organisation is always too big for you to matter.”
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It further added, “If you have a bad manager and a great organisation, leave. If you have a great manager and an okay organisation, stay and grind. Never leave for money alone. Who you work with matters 21 days a month, salary comes twice a month.”
Take a look:
Internet divided over career advice
The post quickly led to debate among users, with many agreeing while others pointed out real world complexities of workplace structures.
One user questioned the practicality of the advice, writing, “What if I have a project manager and a line manager. They sometimes do not agree on things and it affects people working under them. You work under a project manager, but ratings are done by the line manager.”
Another user shared a personal experience, saying, “I worked for my manager and made him look very good in front of his bosses. He gave me great grades. When it came to my promotion, my manager resigned and moved to another country. What do I do now?”
Some users supported the sentiment, with one writing, “I cannot agree more. A good manager will make sure you look great in the organisation.”
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Another added, “It depends on how seniors treat you. A bad manager can make life miserable, especially for freshers.”
Others noted that while managers matter, larger structures also play a role. One user commented, “Unless you work directly under the founder, you are still working for the company they built and its long term goals.”
