What To Do If Your Manager Doesn’t Care About Your Work

This clip explores a common frustration where employees feel ignored by their managers, even when providing regular updates. The root cause is usually a misalignment in perceived project importance.

• Perceived neglect often stems from misaligned priorities: If your manager appears disengaged, it's likely because your project isn't among the top priorities they are focused on.
• Managers typically operate with a clear project hierarchy: In teams with many contributors, managers mentally stack-rank initiatives. Only a few projects (typically the top 1–2) receive the lion’s share of attention and resources.
• Impact matters more than effort: You may be doing good work, but if it’s not on a high-impact initiative, it won’t attract your manager’s attention or advocacy.
• You have two options:

  1. Switch to a higher-priority project that better aligns with team goals.

  2. Build a compelling case for why your current project should be elevated in importance—explain its impact, urgency, and strategic value.

• Visualizing impact can help: The graph referenced (a power law curve) illustrates that a small number of projects generate most of the value. Aim to work on—or reframe your work as—one of those high-leverage efforts.