Managing in the Age of Uncertainty

5 Tips Every Manager Need to Teach in 2025

“You won’t lose your job to AI. You will lose it to someone using AI.”

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia and the world’s champion for AI, routinely says these words to encourage people to try AI and find ways to incorporate this new technology into their work — and build an AI skillset.

As brilliant as Jensen is, I disagree with him. I may live the vacuum of Silicon Valley, but everyone I know is already using AI to get their jobs done. In a world where everyone has access to AI tools, how does someone stand out and get recognized?

I write about the impact of AI and the era of efficiency on career planning for millennials and gen-z, and how managers need to adapt — I don’t write about AI itself. It’s why I call this publication, “Managing in the Age of Uncertainty.”

The core philosophy of what I share here is based on one fundamental idea: the corporate ladder of the boomer era no longer exists to support career growth and advancement for millennials and gen-z. In the absence of the corporate ladder, millennials and gen-z know all they can control is their career story — and they look for job roles that lead to a best-selling chapter of their story which can’t be ignored when getting ready for the next opportunity to grow.

I like being specific with actionable, real-world recommendations for managers and the people they manage.

So this week I asked a cross-section of professional colleagues to help me develop “5 Tips Every Manager Needs to Teach in 2025.”

A theme exists in the 5 tips: As valuable as using AI is to doing a job well or better, the best way to stand out and be recognized is based on the very characteristics that make us human.

Tip 1: Relationships and Interpersonal Skills Still Matter

“I reflect on the importance of developing strong interpersonal skills, particularly for people who want to advance into leadership. I often joke that one of the most valuable things I ever studied was improvisation, both because it helped me develop the capacity to think on my feet AND grow in my capacity to communicate with other people. As we prepare for whatever impact AI is going to have on jobs of the future, I think that our ability to relate, communicate, and collaborate as humans will become an even more sought-after trait.”

Thank you, Josh Selo, CEO of the Bill Wilson Center.

“AI is changing how content is created, distributed, and measured. But the differentiators that will make you indispensable aren't the tools -- they’re about judgment, taste, relationships and emotional intelligence.”

Thank you, Scott Brown, Partner at Cervin Ventures.

Tip 2: Proximity to Smart, Experienced People is Priceless

“Today’s youngest workers are missing out on something we had without even realizing it - learning by osmosis. When we started our careers, we sat in offices surrounded by people. All day long, we overheard how things were done. How leaders handle tough conversations, how deals were closed, how problems got solved, how certain customers (or bosses) preferred things, and an endless amount of quick questions answered and facts shared across the bullpen. You picked up on expectations, culture, strategy… without ever being in a formal training.

• “Don’t chase remote work just because it sounds flexible or convenient. Flexibility is great, but early in your career, proximity to smart, experienced people is priceless.

• “Take advantage of hybrid setups if you can. Even a couple days a week in the office can give you exposure and connection that accelerates your growth.

• “If you're remote, be really intentional. Ask to sit in on meetings. Find ways to observe how people work and communicate. And make the first move in building relationships... it’s awkward, but it pays off.”

Thank you Amber Moore from TruVue.

Tip 3: Build Range at First, Don’t Specialize too Fast

“I found the best early-career marketers aren’t just great at one thing—they’ve experimented across disciplines, sectors, even career paths. Understanding how brand, product marketing, comms, growth, and content fit together will help you later in your career. Work for an agency once, but leave before you burn out. Work for a company once, but leave before you become soft and comfortable.”

Thank you, Scott Brown, Partner at Cervin Ventures.

“Enable your people to work cross-functionally in the organization or with external partners so they can grow their professional network of people who can be referrals for their next job. Additionally, this will also help them grow a broader understanding of the business as they work with more teams.”

Thank you Marina Villalpando Lemas of Connexting.

Tip 4: Understand Careers are Iterative Stories Now

“Your career will be iterative. Instead of one business career, look for ‘micro-careers’ where you reinvent yourself every few years. Think of yourself as agile software.”

Thank you Cindy Goodwin-Saks, Founder Valiant Leadership

“If you’re excited about building a career, don’t just do your current job—start doing the job you want next. That way, when it’s time for a promotion, you're already the natural choice. A good manager will see and recognize your efforts. It’s perfectly fine to take a job that pays the bills, but life’s too short to settle for just a job.”

Thank you Neil Heller, Co-Founder Anonomatic.

Tip 5: Be a Curious Life-Long Learner

“Find mentors and peers you can learn with, not just from -- and invest in those relationships consistently. Be the person who follows through, elevates the team, and isn't always looking for a quid pro quo transaction.”

Thanks again Scott!!

“A lot of that advice I give relates to how people approach work - encouraging curiosity and flexibility. I emphasize the importance of lifelong learning (there is no end point - cultivating curiosity helps with that) - and more often than not I am recommending a range of books that have influenced my style (from Dare to Lead to Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals).”

Thanks again Josh!

Manager Thought of the Week

"Young people today are starting careers where they have to actively fight for information, clarity, and connection - and that’s exhausting."

This quote from Amber Moore really shook me — because I can see the truth in it. Remote work is exhausting, if you want to stay connected with people, not just projects. Information flows unevenly today, despite massive use of communication tools in the workplace. Priorities shift faster today than anytime in history. 9-5 is a thing of the past.

Managers: Please sit down with a member of your team today, this week, this hour and ask: What can I do for you since you do so much for me?

In Summary: Principles of Managing in the Age of Uncertainty

• I left Cisco to answer this question with research and evidence: What does the manager of the future look like? What are millennials and gen-z seeking in a manager? Which behaviors, tactics, skills or processes matter? What’s it going to take to attract and keep the best people over the next decade? In short, how to be a great manager.

• Based on this research, the core philosophy of this newsletter is rooted in one idea: successful managers in this moment in time, for this generation of talent, need to be “career dot-connectors.” The next-gen doesn’t expect to spend their entire career on your team — that’s an idea boomers grew up with. A job on your team is like a chapter in a career story to the current generation. If you want the best people on your team, you have to connect the dots between roles on the team and the career opportunities of the people working on the team.

• What is the“Age of Uncertainty”? If the industrial age was about taking predictable steps up the ladder, the age of uncertainty is about finding or discovering the path of a career without any predictable steps, without an obvious ladder — it’s why being a career dot-connector will differentiate you as a manager.

• How to be a Great Manager in the Age of Uncertainty: Be a Career Dot Connector is available on Amazon.

• What kind of manager are you? Take my free self-assessment and learn about yourself.