Expert Virtual Discussion
Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Location: Virtual | Complimentary
Managers say they are more engaged. Employees are not seeing it.
That gap sits at the center of AMA’s 2026 Annual Management Survey. Managers are spending more time making decisions, solving problems, managing change and reviewing AI-assisted work. Employees are judging engagement by what they can see: communication, coaching, clear expectations and availability.
Both groups may be right.
Join AMA for a virtual briefing on how the manager’s role is changing, why more of the work is becoming invisible and what organizations can do to close the gap before it affects trust and engagement.
About the Event
The work of management is getting harder to see. Much of that work happens behind the scenes. Employees experience the role through a different set of signals, including feedback, direction, coaching and day-to-day communication.
AMA’s latest research shows how those two perspectives are pulling apart.
This briefing will examine what is driving the disconnect, how AI is adding complexity rather than removing it, and what organizations can do to make management more visible—and more effective.
During this briefing, you’ll gain insight into:
- How the manager’s role is expanding amid heavier workloads and constant change
- Why managers and employees may define and recognize engagement differently
- The visible behaviors employees associate with an engaged manager
- How problem solving and other less-visible responsibilities shape the manager experience
- Why AI is shifting managerial work rather than simply reducing it
- How organizations and managers can make decisions and developmental support more visible
Who Should Attend
HR and L&D leaders, managers, executives and business professionals who want to better understand how management is changing, strengthen manager-employee relationships and improve engagement across their organizations.
Speaker:
Haywood Spangler, PhD, MDiv
Leadership and Business Ethics Expert
Haywood Spangler is a corporate trainer, researcher and author. He brings his expertise as an ethicist and philosopher to help organizations combine critical thinking with values in making complex, high-stakes decisions. He was also an instructor of business ethics at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce. Haywood earned his PhD in Ethics from the University of Virginia and MDiv from Yale University.
Moderator:
Samantha Goldman
Marketing Strategy, Corporate Learning Solutions
American Management Association
Samantha Goldman leads marketing strategy for AMA’s Corporate Learning Solutions, helping organizations develop stronger leaders and a more capable workforce. She partners closely with business leaders to bring research and practical insights to the challenges of today’s evolving workplace.
Discover what AMA’s latest research reveals about the changing role of managers, and how organizations can close the gap between the work managers do and what employees experience.
Reserve your complimentary seat.
