No Bullsh!t Leadership30 Apr 2024

The Comeback of the Middle Manager: A welcome trend!

Episode #296 // "Middle management is the engine room of performance. This is where you are closest to the work, and you can make some real inroads into performance improvement."

I produced a podcast episode over 4 years ago, titled “The Curse of the Middle Manager”. So, when I recently came across an HBR article that signaled a resurgence in middle management roles, I figured it was time to take another look!

In many businesses, the role of the middle manager is by far the toughest. If you’re in that position now, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

You’re effectively the meat in the sandwich — the punching bag for both your team (who often don’t want to change the way they do things), and the senior leaders above you (who sometimes just want you to do as you’re told, without discussion).

Middle managers are often the most unloved (and unrewarded) people in an organization. But here’s the essential lens you need to look through: middle management is the petri dish in which senior leaders are identified, developed, and hatched.

I’m dedicating today’s episode to the middle manager, so that you can not just learn how to survive the cauldron, but to grow, thrive, and move onto bigger and better things!

No Bullsh!t Leadership podcast:

Ep.74: The Curse of the Middle Manager

Ep.267: Management vs Leadership

Ep.53: Don’t Overdo Collaboration

HBR Working Knowledge article:

The Middle Manager of the Future: More Coaching, Less Commanding

Clay Christensen books:

The Innovator’s Dilemma

The Innovator’s Solution

Your boss wants more with less. Your team wants less, full stop. You're stuck in the middle.

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