Team management in a network: the role of local managers in transmitting know-how

In a network organisation, the local manager does more than supervise. They set priorities and ensure continuity of work across dispersed teams.

The transfer of expertise first relies on observation, correction and adjustment of daily practices.

Differences in instructions, levels of expectation or customer responses quickly create a perception of inconsistency from the customer’s perspective.

Managerial alignment is based on explicit operational rules: quality criteria, decision margins and clearly defined escalation processes.

The performance of a network of teams depends as much on this managerial consistency as on the ability of local managers to establish a stable working framework on a daily basis.

Team management no longer relies solely on the direct supervision of a group working in the same location. In France, the widespread adoption of multi-site organisations is durably transforming coordination methods. According to McKinsey, organisations worldwide report significant shifts in management practices over recent years, driven by increased complexity, distributed teams and new ways of working.

Companies must rethink their managerial practices to ensure continuity of know-how and customer satisfaction. The local manager therefore emerges as both an operational relay, a guarantor of consistency in practices and a driver of team performance, within a network of often dispersed teams.

Team management in a network requires a profound shift in management approach. When teams are spread across several sites or integrated into a large-scale organisation, the role of the local manager is not limited to assigning tasks or monitoring indicators. They must organise work within a shared framework, despite distance and the diversity of stakeholders.

The quality of managerial practices directly influences overall performance and the ability of organisations to maintain consistent standards. This consistency doesn’t happen by itself. It is built daily through shared rules and a smooth flow of information.

In a network organisation, sharing know-how cannot rely solely on formal frameworks or occasional training initiatives. It is primarily embodied in daily practices, in day-to-day operations. The local manager establishes themselves as the key link of this transmission.

A formal instruction is not enough to produce shared know-how. Between what is prescribed and what is actually implemented, a gap almost always remains. Through their detailed understanding of work situations, the local manager transforms general guidelines into operational practices that can be applied by frontline teams.

This translation is neither mechanical nor uniform. It requires the ability to adapt to local constraints, available skills and encountered situations. They ensure consistent ways of working while avoiding rigid application of rules.

Transmission cannot be occasional. Turnover, internal mobility and organisational changes quickly put acquired knowledge to the test. Yet, the ability to fulfil this managerial role is itself under pressure. Internationally, 36% of HR leaders report that employees are reluctant to step into management roles, according to the Cegos International Barometer.

This directly limits organisations’ ability to structure skill transmission close to the field. The local manager then becomes the guarantor of the stability of know-how and performance at the scale of the network organisation.

Differences in practices are one of the main points of fragility in network organisations. Concretely, these differences appear in very operational situations:

• Instructions applied differently depending on the teams;
• Variable levels of expectation regarding the quality of delivered work;
• Non-uniform customer responses in similar situations.

These differences are not always visible internally, but they are quickly perceived by the customer. They create misunderstanding, a sense of inconsistency and, ultimately, a loss of trust.

The role of managers is then to establish clear common reference points, understandable by all: what is expected, what is not, and what can be adapted. Managing with the right indicators first means precisely defining what constitutes a response that meets customer expectations. This involves measurable criteria:

• A clearly defined maximum response time depending on the type of request;
• An expected level of completeness in responses (mandatory information, rephrasing elements…);
• Explicit rules regarding decision margins granted to teams (what can be adjusted without validation and what must be escalated).

In a network organisation, work organisation requires finer coordination than in a centralised structure. Teams are often involved in multiple projects, which makes managing team schedules more complex.

• The role of the local manager is first to clarify priorities. They prioritise tasks and make objectives clear.
• Scheduling cannot be managed in isolation. It requires coordination between different managers, in order to anticipate peaks in activity and adjust resources across the network.

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Sustainable performance relies as much on skills as on the working climate. When teams are dispersed, trust is not a given. It is built through consistent interactions and coherent managerial practices. The local manager embodies the working framework on a daily basis and the rules of the collective.

Only 21% of employees strongly agree that their performance is managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work, according to Gallup. This fragility directly impacts team engagement and their ability to cooperate, especially in large organisations where interactions are less spontaneous.
The role of the local manager is then to create a stable working environment. They must rely on managerial rituals to strengthen team cohesion.