Despite serving as a link between senior management and frontline staff, ensuring that tactical choices are effectively carried out, middle managers are often overlooked employees. Diving into the evolving role of middle managers, we’ll look at a few of the challenges they face, as well as the critical importance of supporting them, and offer strategies to overcome the unique challenges of their role.
Challenges Faced by Middle Managers
Middle managers frequently find themselves juggling several responsibilities, from directing daily operations to coordinating with the organization’s strategic goals to resolving performance management issues. Managing multiple hierarchies and their respective responsibilities is stressful and difficult. While many of the specific challenges are ones both leaders and team members face, they usually experience them from only one angle.
Bureaucracy
Also referred to as administrivia, bureaucracy tends to bog down middle managers with tasks that are repetitive and can make the wheels of production grind to a halt. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports, as well as emails, memos, and determining who to contact regarding clarification can have them dreading any kind of communication.
Communication
As for communication, middle managers often find themselves caught in the crossfire, with direction from leadership and team member issues sometimes warring. Communication breakdowns can hinder the flow of information and decision-making, making their roles even more challenging. And if they’re not given the authority to make high-level decisions when and where required, frustrations may consume them.
Burnout
Middle managers may suffer physical side effects from the fast- or slow-paced nature of company processes. Physical weariness can result from working long hours under pressure from deadlines and other demands. Stress and burnout can result from the mental effort of juggling conflicting priorities, resolving disputes, and fulfilling performance goals.
Strategies for Leaders to Support Middle Managers
Effective leadership is crucial for supporting middle managers and helping them thrive in their roles. There are several actions leaders can take to mitigate the stress middle managers face, however.
Clear Communication
Leaders can establish a culture of open communication through regular one-on-one meetings or an active open door policy to encourage middle managers to share concerns, provide updates, and seek guidance.
Training and Development
Training and development includes skill enhancement programs that enhance their leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. It’s important to note that developing and practicing emotional intelligence is also crucial to success.
Mentoring and Coaching
Pairing middle managers with mentors or executive coaches is not only another supportive approach, but doing so before issues arise can actually avert incredible weariness in the first place. Additionally, developing managers to take a coaching approach with their employees helps to foster better bi-directional communications and model active listening. A critical element to what leaders can do by mentoring and coaching their own middle managers is to remember that they are setting an example by not just talking about it, but actually doing it.
Acknowledging Achievements
Recognizing the achievements of middle managers and publicly acknowledging their contributions boosts morale and is an important component of ensuring they understand they’re valued. Leveraging their expertise and experience and encouraging them to share their knowledge with their teams fosters a culture of continuous learning.
Personal Time
Encouraging middle managers to take breaks and set boundaries – including making vacations actual time off where they are not expected to continue to manage work problems – helps prevent burnout.
Support and Empower Middle Managers
Middle managers require strong leadership and support. Leaders can create an atmosphere where middle managers thrive, leading their teams to success and contributing to the overall growth of the organization by identifying the problems they confront and putting tactics in place to empower them. Supporting middle managers is an investment in the success of your company as a whole, not just in their own success.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on how you handle the stress of being a middle manager or how you support them in your organization. I encourage you to comment on my LinkedIn page to contribute to the discussion.
