This informal CPD article, ‘Not All Accidental Managers Are the Same – And That’s the Problem’ was provided by Mark Simpson, Senior L&D Consultant at Live and Learn Consultancy, a UK soft skills training provider delivering programmes that empower businesses and employees to thrive.
The term “accidental manager” seems to be everywhere now, to the point where it has started to feel unhelpfully buzzword‑heavy. The idea itself isn’t new. It can be traced back to The Peter Principle in 1969, and in more recent years the term gained real traction following the Chartered Management Institute’s 2015 article, The Curse of the Accidental Manager.
That article acknowledged that there are many different types of accidental managers. However, particularly over the last two to three years, the phrase has increasingly been used as an oversimplified explanation for almost all poor management experiences.
And that’s where the problem lies.
By using one label to describe several very different situations, we risk misunderstanding what’s actually going wrong – and, as a result, fixing the wrong things.
So what is an accidental manager?
Depending on who you ask, it could be:
- a manager promoted with no formal leadership or management training
- a technical expert pushed into people management
- someone “thrust” into the role due to circumstance rather than choice
All of these exist. But none of them tell the full story on their own.
This matters even more when you consider that 82% of UK managers report having received no formal management training (CMI, 2023). Used carelessly, the label “accidental manager” can start to sound patronising or dismissive. Many people didn’t accidentally become managers at all – they were failed by the systems around them.
To make sense of this, it’s helpful to look at four very different routes into management.
Person One: The Aspirational Manager Who Was Let Down
This person is ambitious, empathetic, strategically minded, and genuinely wants to manage people. They apply for an internal role, earn the promotion, and then receive little to no support once they’re in post.
Calling this person an accidental manager misses the point entirely.
They’re an aspirational manager who has been left to struggle without the backing they need. This isn’t primarily a training failure; it’s a leadership and system failure. I was reminded of this recently when I was asked to film a short video on accidental managers. The initial script lacked empathy and it didn’t reflect the reality I see most often: capable people stepping up with good intent, only to be unsupported once they arrive.
Organisations can fix this by:
- providing formal leadership or management development
- offering coaching or mentoring, either internally or externally
- setting clear role expectations and co‑created SMART goals from day one
- giving proper HR support around policies, employment law, and risk
- allowing shadowing and safe practice before accountability fully lands
- being proactive with succession planning rather than reactive promotions
When we frame this scenario correctly, the issue isn’t the individual’s readiness – it’s the organisation’s preparedness.
Person Two: The Expert with No Real Alternative
This person is also a high performer, but their value lies in technical or specialist expertise rather than people leadership. They don’t want to manage others, but they can’t see any other path for progression in their organisation.
Over time, they either leave or reluctantly step into a management role that doesn’t fit. Again, this isn’t accidental. It’s a talent system design flaw.
What helps here includes:
- career pathways that reward mastery, not just leadership and headcount
- clear expert or specialist tracks alongside leadership tracks in talent pipelines
- appraisals that genuinely value development conversations
- shared ownership of development plans between employee and manager
When leadership becomes the only visible route to progression, organisations shouldn’t be surprised when misalignment follows.
Opportunities such as project leadership
Supporting Aspirational Experts in Smaller Organisations
Smaller organisations often raise a valid challenge here: “We just don’t have the structure or size to offer lots of progression options.”
But limited hierarchy doesn’t have to mean limited development.
Even in small organisations, there are realistic ways to support aspirational experts without forcing them into people management. This might include introducing one or two clear expert tracks, with the flexibility to expand as the organisation grows. Progression doesn’t always require a new job title; senior roles using the same core title, but with greater scope, accountability, or influence, can still provide recognition.
Opportunities such as project leadership, stretch assignments, or acting as a subject‑matter expert allow people to build credibility and visibility without line management responsibility. Encouraging job crafting, where roles evolve to reflect strengths, interests, and organisational need, can also make development feel purposeful rather than constrained.
Transparency matters too. Being clear at interview stage about available pathways helps to manage expectations and build trust. Not every organisation can offer long‑term progression for every individual, and that honesty is often appreciated more than implied promises that never materialise.
Importantly, development doesn’t have to hinge on retention at all costs. Some people will move on, and that isn’t a failure. Organisations can still invest meaningfully through certifications, accreditations, qualifications, mentoring, and targeted training, even if that growth continues elsewhere.
When organisations take this approach, development focuses on building capability and making a meaningful contribution – whether someone stays long term or not.
Person Three: The Reluctant or Interim Manager
This is the person most likely to openly describe themselves as an accidental manager. They step into the role during hiring freezes, long‑term absence, or restructures. Because the situation is seen as temporary, investment in development is often deferred.
But the impact on people isn’t temporary.
Even without significant budget, organisations can still:
- provide mentors, peer buddies, and opportunities to observe others managing
- offer templates and frameworks for core people‑management tasks
- check in regularly on wellbeing, confidence, and workload
- give access to low‑cost or free learning resources
Support here isn’t about perfection. It’s about safety and stability for everyone involved.
Person Four: The Wrong Behaviour, Promoted Anyway
This is often the most uncomfortable scenario.
A high performer. Poor behaviours. Promoted anyway, because output is rewarded more loudly than values.
This is rarely an individual failure. It’s a selection and governance failure. Left unchecked, this type of manager loses organisations talent, trust, and money.
Key interventions include:
- behavioural frameworks anchored in values, not just performance.
- interview processes that assess behaviour as well as competence.
- clear shortlisting criteria and hiring matrices.
- use of tools such as skill‑will or 9‑box grids to spot misalignment early.
- clear disciplinary and grievance processes that managers are trained to use.
So, What Does This Tell Us?
There is no single accidental manager problem.
There are training gaps, talent pipeline gaps, succession gaps, recruitment gaps, and appraisal gaps. Organisations often default to the wrong solution because they’ve used the same label for very different outcomes.
If employees are leaving or complaining about managers, the most productive starting point is diagnosis.
Ask why.
Then ask why again.
Keep going until the answer is uncomfortable and actionable.
And if the organisation can’t answer the first why, that’s where engagement surveys can help, but only if leaders are prepared to act on what they hear.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Live and Learn Consultancy, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
References:
Chartered Institute of Management (CMI) (2015) The curse of the accidental manager. London: CMI. Available at: https://www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-and-insights/case-study/the-curse-of-the-accidental-manager/ (Accessed: 13 April 2026).
Peter, L.J. and Hull, R. (1969) The Peter Principle: Why things always go wrong. New York: William Morrow & Company.
