The workplace is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how work gets done. Organizations are investing heavily in new technologies, and employees are being asked to adapt faster than ever before.
Yet according to Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace Report, one of the biggest challenges facing organizations today isn’t technology, it’s management.
Gallup found that global employee engagement declined for the second consecutive year, falling to 20%. At the same time, manager engagement dropped from 31% in 2022 to just 22% in 2025. The report also found that managers play a critical role in employee engagement, workplace wellbeing, and successful AI adoption.
One finding helps explain why managers are struggling. Fewer than half of managers worldwide have received formal management training, despite being responsible for coaching employees, navigating conflict, supporting change, and driving performance.
This challenge is often explained by the Peter Principle, the idea that employees are frequently promoted because they excel in their current role, not because they have been trained to lead others. While they may be highly skilled contributors, many enter management positions without the tools and confidence needed to effectively lead people.
The message is clear: organizations need more than technology to succeed. They need managers who can communicate effectively, build trust, motivate employees, and lead people through change.
"Winning the AI revolution will depend not just on the technology you deploy but also on how well you lead the people using it." — Jon Clifton, Gallup CEO
For organizations hoping to maximize the benefits of AI, investing in manager development is just as important as investing in new technology.
Many managers are promoted because they excelled as individual contributors, but the skills that drive personal success are often different from those required to lead people effectively.
Great managers must know how to:
• Give constructive feedback
• Navigate conflict
• Build trust
• Motivate different personalities
• Coach employee development
• Lead teams through change
• Adapt communication styles
Without support and development, managers are often expected to learn these skills through trial and error.
This is where Everything DiSC® Management and Worksmart on Catalyst™ help organizations turn management challenges into leadership development opportunities.
Why Managers Feel Unprepared
Many managers are expected to lead teams, coach employees, navigate conflict, and drive performance without ever receiving formal management training.
As organizations implement artificial intelligence, adopt new technologies, and navigate increasing levels of change, the demands placed on managers continue to grow. Employees look to managers for guidance, support, communication, and direction during periods of uncertainty.
The good news is that management skills can be learned and developed using DiSC.
Effective managers are not simply born with the ability to motivate employees, build trust, provide feedback, and lead through change. These are skills that can be strengthened with the right training, tools, and ongoing support.
Organizations that intentionally invest in manager development are better positioned to improve employee engagement, strengthen workplace culture, and successfully navigate change.
If managers are among the most important drivers of engagement, wellbeing, and successful AI adoption, developing these skills is no longer optional, it is a business necessity.
How Everything DiSC on Catalyst Supports Leadership Development
Everything DiSC® on Catalyst™ provides an ongoing learning platform designed to help people build stronger workplace relationships and improve communication.
Unlike traditional one-time training events, Catalyst gives managers continued access to insights, tools, and resources that can be applied in everyday work situations.
For organizations focused on manager effectiveness, Everything DiSC Management and Worksmart offer a powerful combination.
How Worksmart Helps Managers Navigate Critical Workplace Conversations
Understanding people is only part of effective leadership.
Managers also need practical guidance for handling the conversations that have the greatest impact on employee engagement, retention, performance, and workplace culture.
Worksmart, available within the Catalyst platform, helps managers confidently navigate five essential workplace conversations.
Giving Constructive Feedback
Feedback is critical for employee growth, but many managers struggle to deliver it effectively. Worksmart provides personalized strategies based on DiSC styles to help managers make feedback conversations more productive.
Managing Conflict
Conflict is inevitable in any workplace. Worksmart helps managers recognize behavioral differences, reduce misunderstandings, and address tension before it escalates.
Empowering Others
Employees are more engaged when they feel trusted and empowered. Worksmart provides practical tools for creating ownership, accountability, and confidence.
Motivating Others
Different employees are motivated by different factors. Worksmart helps managers identify what drives each individual and adapt their leadership approach accordingly.
Helping Employees Navigate Change
As organizations continue implementing AI and other workplace initiatives, change management has become one of the most important leadership skills. Worksmart helps managers understand how different people respond to change and provides practical strategies for guiding employees through uncertainty.
With AI continuing to reshape workflows, responsibilities, and expectations, managers are increasingly being asked to answer questions they may not have all the answers to themselves. Worksmart helps managers approach these conversations with greater confidence by providing practical guidance tailored to the people involved.
How Everything DiSC® Management Builds Better Managers
While Worksmart focuses on critical workplace conversations, Everything DiSC Management helps managers build the self-awareness and adaptability needed to lead people more effectively.
Using the Everything DiSC framework, managers learn how their behavioral style influences their leadership approach and how to adapt to the needs of different employees.
Managers gain practical strategies for:
• Directing and delegating effectively
• Motivating different DiSC styles
• Developing employees
• Improving communication
• Building stronger working relationships
• Creating a more engaged team environment
Gallup’s report emphasizes that managers have an enormous impact on employee engagement and workplace success. Everything DiSC Management helps managers develop the self-awareness and adaptability needed to lead more effectively in today’s workplace, improve employee engagement, strengthen workplace relationships, and create higher-performing teams.
Why Catalyst Matters
One of the greatest advantages of Everything DiSC on Catalyst is that learning doesn’t end when training concludes.
Managers can continue accessing personalized insights, comparison tools, and Worksmart conversation guides whenever challenges arise.
Instead of relying on managers to remember concepts from a workshop months earlier, Catalyst provides ongoing support that can be applied in real time.
This makes leadership development more practical, accessible, and sustainable.
The Future of Work Still Requires Great Managers
Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace Report reinforces an important reality: the future of work is not just about technology.
Artificial intelligence may change how work gets done, but organizations still depend on managers to engage employees, build trust, support change, and drive performance.
Technology may continue to change at a rapid pace, but leadership fundamentals remain remarkably consistent. Employees still need managers who can communicate clearly, build trust, coach development, navigate conflict, and lead through uncertainty.
Organizations that invest in these human skills alongside their technology investments will be best positioned for long-term success.
By combining Everything DiSC® Management and Worksmart on the Catalyst™ platform, organizations can provide managers with both the self-awareness and practical tools needed to strengthen communication, improve employee engagement, and lead through change with confidence.
Because while technology continues to evolve, Gallup’s research makes one thing clear: organizations that invest in manager effectiveness will be better positioned to engage employees, navigate change, and realize the full value of their technology investments.
FAQ
What is Everything DiSC Management?
Everything DiSC Management is a leadership development solution that helps managers understand their management style, adapt to different employees, improve communication, and build stronger working relationships. It provides practical strategies for directing, delegating, motivating, and developing team members.
What is Worksmart on Catalyst?
Worksmart is an experience within the Everything DiSC Catalyst platform that helps managers navigate five critical workplace conversations: giving constructive feedback, managing conflict, empowering others, motivating employees, and helping employees navigate change.
How does Everything DiSC Management help improve employee engagement?
Everything DiSC Management helps managers better understand what motivates different employees and how to adapt their communication and leadership approach. Strong manager-employee relationships can contribute to higher employee engagement, improved collaboration, and better workplace performance.
Why is manager effectiveness important during workplace change?
Managers often serve as the primary connection between organizational initiatives and employees. During periods of change, such as AI implementation, restructuring, or process improvements, managers play a critical role in communicating expectations, building trust, and helping employees adapt successfully.
What is Everything DiSC on Catalyst?
Catalyst is the learning platform that powers Everything DiSC experiences. It provides ongoing access to DiSC insights, comparison tools, workplace relationship resources, and Worksmart conversation guides, allowing learning to continue long after training is completed.
Ready to Help Your Managers Lead More Effectively?
If your organization is looking to strengthen leadership skills, improve communication, and better equip managers for today’s workplace challenges, Everything DiSC® Management and Worksmart on Catalyst™ can help.
Contact Resources Unlimited to learn how Everything DiSC on Catalyst can support your leadership development goals and help managers build the skills needed to lead with confidence.
Call us at 800-278-1292 or contact us online to start the conversation.
