The company isn’t just getting smaller. It’s getting flatter—and more AI-native.

No More ‘Pure Managers’

The clearest shift is in how Coinbase defines leadership. “No pure managers: Every leader at Coinbase must also be a strong and active individual contributor,” said his letter to employees.

That’s not a tweak. It’s a redesign.

Managers aren’t being optimized—they’re being redefined. Oversight alone doesn’t qualify anymore. Leaders are expected to build, ship, and operate alongside their teams, turning traditional management roles into what Armstrong calls “player-coaches.”

At the same time, spans of control are expanding. Leaders may now oversee 15 or more direct reports, while the…

Read more on Benzinga