‘Snowplough managers' could be preventing you from stepping up
'Snowplough managers' struggle to delegate tasks. (Envato Elements pic)
PARIS : Imagine a manager who takes the lead on everything, anticipates problems, oversees the smallest details, and saves you the trouble of dealing with things.
Put like that, it may sound great. But by taking on too much of your work and refusing to delegate, they're actually preventing you from learning, from making mistakes, from growing.
This is what is known as 'snowplow management.'
This expression was coined by the teams at Owl Labs, a company specialising in video-conferencing tools. Its CEO, Frank Weishaupt, describes this management style as similar to overprotective parenting.
'[It] resembles snowplough parenting, where a parent removes as many challenges from their child's life as possible,' he told Fast Company.
In concrete terms, these managers want to control everything. They take the important decisions, keep strategic projects to themselves, and leave the simpler tasks to their teams.
They renege on assignments, cancel meetings without explanation, and keep their staff out of discussions with management.
They have good intentions, of course. But by doing everything for their team, they end up holding people back instead of helping them move forward.
Managerial stress and fear of failure
So why might they feel this need to do everything themselves? Probably because the pressure is on, especially for managers. Juggling remote work, ever-higher targets and unclear expectations, they are among the employees most exposed to stress.
According to Owl Labs' 2024 report on hybrid working, their stress level is 55% higher than that of their subordinates. Some fear for their jobs, others simply want to prove they're in control.
Almost all are convinced – often in good faith – that they'll get things done faster if they take them in hand themselves.
While it may feel reassuring, trying to be in total control can have negative effects.
By seeking to centralise everything rather than delegate, snowplough managers curtail people's independence, stifle initiative and hamper team dynamics.
Employees stagnate, ideas fizzle out, and collective energy is depleted. The problem intensifies in times of crisis or restructuring.
Middle managers, often the target of redundancy plans, try to prove that they are indispensable by taking care of everything. But this strategy ultimately wears them down – and their teams.
So, how should you deal with a ' snowplough manager'? The key is to engage in frank, constructive discussion. It's not a question of pointing the finger, but of making suggestions.
Take the initiative to express your desire to get more involved: ask to pilot a project, share an idea, offer to help with an unfinished project.
Show that you're reliable, motivated and capable of taking on responsibilities without making them a burden.
And if the situation remains deadlocked despite your best efforts, it's best to explore other avenues by taking part in cross-functional projects or in-house training. This can be a simple, practical way to keep moving forward, even when things seem to be at a standstill.
'Snowplough management' often reflects a good, misguided intention: to protect, secure and avoid mistakes. But it's by leaving room for attempts, mistakes and autonomy that teams gain in strength. Progress requires the right to fail.
Trust, the ability to delegate, and openness to the unexpected are the keys to enabling employees to take flight. And for managers to finally free themselves from the role of snowplough.
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