Why is Middle Management So Hard?

More often than anything, I hear about the splinters in the workplace and upon questioning discover some unrest in the middle. Middle managers are often caught in a complicated web of responsibilities, expectations, and pressures from both above and below. They play a critical role in translating the vision of senior leadership into actionable plans, while also managing and supporting their teams on a day-to-day basis. And that sounds like a tall order – layer on top of that the middle manager that was promoted to leadership because they were a valued and dependable worker, but never offered any professional development on how to lead and navigate change – which is the entire job of a middle manager.

Let’s also talk about workload and conflicting priorities. Middle managers are often pulled in multiple directions, juggling operational responsibilities, team management, and strategic initiatives. The result is an immense pressure to perform, which can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. This is why this part of the workforce changes jobs often – it’s a hard place of responsibility and pressure. And when things are under pressure, they break. The middle tier of your organization deserves care and tending  - to bond as a group and set a shared path.

One of the most common complaints I hear is the lack of clear communication and alignment between senior leadership and middle managers. Often, strategies and decisions made at the top are not effectively communicated or understood by those in the middle. This can result in confusion, misalignment, and a lack of buy-in from middle managers, which in turn impacts their ability to motivate and inspire their teams. Organizations must prioritize open and transparent communication channels that foster a sense of shared purpose and clarity across all levels. Hint, hint – this means we need to have meetings naming and claiming our shared purpose and goals.

The delicate balancing act of up and down requires strong leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to navigate complex dynamics and change. I believe that investing in the development and empowerment of middle managers is essential for fostering a healthy workplace culture. We can’t leave them stranded without conflict resolution skills and change management toolkits.

So folks – if it feels a bit icky in your workplace right now, look at middle management – how they receive directives, share in their creation, ,and then guide them teams into action – does it feel consistent, clear, and exciting? If not, odds are they are feeling disconnected, unclear about a shared goal, and balancing a bit too much. While middle management may be the home of some of the problems in the organization, it is a senior leadership problem to be solved and its going to require opening up.