--- title: "From the Desk of Brad Smart: Managerial Jobs Are Being Slashed - Topgrading Can Save You" description: Learn how Topgrading can help managers thrive in an AI-driven job market by hiring high performers and elevating team quality. Discover effective strategies to fortify your career now. image: https://blog.topgrading.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_1060686396.jpeg --- [Go Back Up](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/resources/blog/from-the-desk-of-brad-smart-managerial-jobs-are-being-slashed-topgrading-can-save-you#top) [Skip to Content](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/resources/blog/from-the-desk-of-brad-smart-managerial-jobs-are-being-slashed-topgrading-can-save-you#body) [![](https://blog.topgrading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/Logo%20-%20homepage.webp?width=339&height=68&name=Logo%20-%20homepage.webp)](https://topgrading.com/) Toggle Menu - [Human Capital Governance](https://topgrading.com/human-capital-governance) - [Solutions](https://topgrading.com/solutions) Toggle children for Solutions Main Menu (Press to Return) \> Solutions - [Hiring](https://topgrading.com/hiring) - [Leadership](https://topgrading.com/leadership) - [Organization Design](https://topgrading.com/organization) - [Private Equity](https://topgrading.com/private-equity) - [Workshop](https://topgrading.com/topgradingworkshop) - [Our Firm](https://topgrading.com/our-firm) - Insights Toggle children for Insights Main Menu (Press to Return) \> Insights - [Blog](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog) - [Case Studies](https://blog.topgrading.com/case-studies) - [Podcast](https://blog.topgrading.com/podcast) - [Books](https://topgrading.com/books) - [eGuide](https://topgrading.com/eguide) - [Schedule a Call](https://topgrading.com/meetings/andywilliams-topgrading/30-minute-meeting) - [Schedule a Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/chris-mursau/privateequity) [Schedule a Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/chris-mursau/privateequity) # From the Desk of Brad Smart: Managerial Jobs Are Being Slashed - Topgrading Can Save You [A Players](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/a-players) [AI](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/ai) [Mis-Hires](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/mis-hires) [HR](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/hr) [Hiring Success](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/hiring-success) [Verification](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/verification) [Leadership Development](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/leadership-development) [Resume](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/resume) [Hiring Challenges](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/hiring-challenges) [Hiring Methods](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/hiring-methods) [Resumes](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/tag/resumes) Feb 5, 2025, 10:09:03 PM [Brad Smart](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/author/brad-smart) % ![](https://blog.topgrading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_1060686396.jpeg?width=1000&name=AdobeStock_1060686396.jpeg) [mailto:?subject=From%20the%20Desk%20of%20Brad%20Smart%3A%20Managerial%20Jobs%20Are%20Being%20Slashed%20-%20Topgrading%20Can%20Save%20You&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.topgrading.com%2Fblog%2Fresources%2Fblog%2Ffrom-the-desk-of-brad-smart-managerial-jobs-are-being-slashed-topgrading-can-save-you](mailto:?subject=From%20the%20Desk%20of%20Brad%20Smart%3A%20Managerial%20Jobs%20Are%20Being%20Slashed%20-%20Topgrading%20Can%20Save%20You&body=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.topgrading.com%2Fblog%2Fresources%2Fblog%2Ffrom-the-desk-of-brad-smart-managerial-jobs-are-being-slashed-topgrading-can-save-you) Wall Street Journal's recent article, [Where Have All The Managers Gone?](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/management-jobs-shrinking-white-collar-workers-cc761cb7?st=Uj2Rqm&reflink=article_email_share), thoroughly documents the **decline** of managerial jobs. Huge and small companies alike are boosting profits by cutting jobs - **primarily individual contributor roles -** because AI can do them. And with fewer worker bees, fewer managerial jobs are needed. As for the contribution **(or perhaps *impact*?)** AI makes - it’s huge! The most compelling sentence in the article is from Gartner, a leading tech **research and advisory** company. Gartner predicts that over the next two years, one in five companies will use AI to flatten their organizations and eliminate **up to** half of middle-management roles. What can you do to avoid being cut? And is there any way you can flourish? Yes, with Topgrading. When General Electric was the most respected company in the world, CEO Jack Welch chopped 17 levels down to 10. That’s right - 7 **layers** in this huge company were nuked. And… drum roll… Topgrading managers not only survived, they flourished - meaning they were the managers **who were** *not* cut, and almost all went on to earn promotions. How did they do it? Simple, really. All managers were trained in Topgrading, and the best managers were the most conscientious and disciplined in using Topgrading. So instead of having 12 direct reports with 3 A Players, 6 Bs, and 3 Cs, they would, on average, have 7 As, 2 Bs, and no Cs. These A Player managers hired As, so they didn’t have to fire Cs and Bs. Topgrading is simple, conceptually, but not easy. Topgraders: • Use the **Topgrading Truth Motivator™**, which identifies honest, high performers. • Use the **Tandem Topgrading Interview™**, with two interviewers. • Use the **Topgrading Interview Guide**, asking comprehensive questions about all full-time jobs. • Talk with managers of candidates, with no phone tag. With a metaphorical bulldozer plowing through companies, the time to fortify your career in management is NOW. Topgrading can help you hire honest, high performers. [Contact us](https://share.hsforms.com/1LwWWJ3v1RxK57ZpNXI-9Lwclbe4).   Dr. Brad Smart is Founder and CEO of Topgrading, Inc. Topgrading is dedicated to helping companies of all sizes maximize the hiring of high performers. Topgrading assesses candidates for senior positions (where the costs of mis-hires are high) and trains all managers to create teams of almost all high performers. Brad has seven published books on hiring; the most recent three (the first, second, and third editions of Topgrading) were all best sellers. To learn more, download our [free eGuide](https://topgrading.com/eguide) or attend our next Topgrading [Webinar](https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ROyVsSbvSSieoGx11VsEkg). Our webinar explains the most effective recruitment methods, how to immediately identify the most honest, high performing applicants, and how to (finally!) verify what candidates tell you (since reference calls are usually worthless). *Improve your hiring success with [Topgrading](https://topgrading.com/). Our proven hiring process will transform your selection methodology so that you get better hiring results across all industries, including hiring HR professionals.  Our*  *leadership and candidate* *assessment*  *tools will help you assess, hire, retain, and grow outstanding team members.* [Contact us](https://share.hsforms.com/1LwWWJ3v1RxK57ZpNXI-9Lwclbe4) *to learn more!* ## Brad Smart ## Ready to Transform your Business with Little Effort Using Brightlane? [Register Now](https://www.example.com) You May Like These ## Related Articles ![](https://blog.topgrading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_76023299.jpeg?width=700&name=AdobeStock_76023299.jpeg) ### [From the Desk of Brad Smart: America's Great First Leader](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/resources/blog/from-the-desk-of-brad-smart-americas-great-first-leader) ![](https://blog.topgrading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_334747293.webp?width=700&name=AdobeStock_334747293.webp) ### [From the Desk of Brad Smart: Hiring Mistakes: The Silent Killer of Business Strategy](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/from-the-desk-of-brad-smart-how-to-hire-high-performers-a-players) ![](https://blog.topgrading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_944035388.jpeg?width=700&name=AdobeStock_944035388.jpeg) ### [From the Desk of Brad Smart: Why Economic Uncertainty Demands A Players - Not Warm Bodies](https://blog.topgrading.com/blog/from-the-desk-of-brad-smart-why-economic-uncertainty-demands-a-players-not-warm-bodies) Schedule a Call [Contact Us](https://topgrading.com/meetings/andywilliams-topgrading/andy-williams-schedule-a-call-meeting) ![logo-footer](https://blog.topgrading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo%20(1).png?width=249&height=50&name=logo%20(1).png "logo-footer") - 100 S Saunders Rd Ste 150 Lake Forest, IL 60045 - (847) 244-5544 - [info@topgrading.com](mailto:info@topgrading.com) [Contact Us](https://share.hsforms.com/1LwWWJ3v1RxK57ZpNXI-9Lwclbe4) #### Subscribe to Our Newsletter ##### Quick Links - [Human Capital Governance](https://topgrading.com/human-capital-governance) - [Solutions](https://topgrading.com/solutions) - [Private Equity](https://topgrading.com/private-equity) - [Our Firm](https://topgrading.com/our-firm) - [Leadership](https://topgrading.com/leadership) - [Hiring](https://topgrading.com/hiring) - [Organizational Design](https://topgrading.com/organization) - [Topgrading in the AI Era Workshop](https://topgrading.com/foolproof-hiring) - [Case Studies](https://blog.topgrading.com/case-studies) ##### Website Policy - [Privacy Policy](https://topgrading.com/privacy-policy) - [Cookie Policy](https://topgrading.com/cookies-policy) ##### [Client Portal](https://client.topgrading.com/membership-login/) Test [Refer a Company](https://share.hsforms.com/140pKFt8pReaZH4Bp7SuHigclbe4) © 2026 Topgrading. 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