Middle Leaders- The Unsung Heroes of your Organisation
Who are the unsung heroes of your organisation? Middle Leaders. These leaders don’t yet bear the title of Executive, although they wield the power to steer teams, shape strategies, and shift organisational tides. They’re known by many titles from General Manager to Team Leader—but let's cut through the corporate jargon and call them Middle Leaders, an important step beyond the traditional 'Middle Manager.' They are the Swiss Army knife of leadership, the ultimate go-betweens and chess masters, artfully balancing the tightrope between upper management's directives and the frontline's reality.
Let’s explore the unique challenges and triumphs these pivotal players face in organisations.
Middle Leaders are not just about executing executive mandates or keeping work flowing. They are the vital link between vision and reality, work and culture, strategy and execution. In this middle space, leaders balance insights from the top with the realities of the ground. They navigate office politics, influence decisions up the chain, and foster a positive environment that trickles down, all while keeping their team engaged, motivated, and pushing forward. They lead their people and ensure that the work gets done.
As depicted in the diagram, the most effective Middle Leaders masterfully balance the tensions between leading and managing.
Middle Leaders also serve as catalysts for innovation and ambassadors for change. They are close enough to day-to-day operations to spot inefficiencies and innovation opportunities, yet influential enough to secure resources and support from upper management. They are pivotal in driving and managing change, translating high-level strategic visions into actionable plans their teams can execute.
However, transitioning from being purely a Manager to a Middle Leader can be challenging.
The Transition
A Manager is focussed on the work. While they may lead a team, they typically manage from a compliance and work performance perspective, handling tasks like signing off on timesheets, delivering annual performance reviews, and upskilling team members. Managers are often promoted due to their expertise in their field. For instance, many Sales Managers were formerly Sales Consultants.
This is where Managers can get themselves stuck. Excelling in a role provides a dopamine hit, offering validation and a sense of importance. But transitioning to a Leader involves letting go of task-based expertise, which is often tied to one's ego and comfort zone. Leadership, filled with unknowns and complexity, doesn't always provide clear answers. Rather than facing this discomfort and lack of validation, many Managers cling too tightly to their expertise, focusing on managing tasks rather than leading people.
To support this transition, organisations need to invest in the vertical development of their leaders. Vertical development increases a person’s ability to cope with complexity, stress, uncertainty and to think more strategically. Most learning programs focus more on horizontal development, which is enhancing existing or building new technical skills. Participating in 1:1 coaching, mentoring and Adaptive Leadership programs are proven ways to increase vertical development.
Dialing Up and Down Leadership and Management competencies…
Another challenge for Middle Leaders is knowing when to lead people and when to manage tasks.
A common dilemma is the tension between coaching and project delivery. While Managers focus on meeting deadlines and targets, Leaders prioritise developing their team. Managers might view coaching as slow and time-consuming, preferring direct intervention to speed up results. Leaders, however, understand that this short-term approach often leads to repeated problems and decreased accountability among team members.
Conversely, in crisis situations, Middle Leaders may need to revert to hands-on roles to keep operations running smoothly, focusing more on immediate problem-solving and team support than on long-term development.
What the most important skill for Middle Leaders…
The best Middle Leaders possess high emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and self-belief. Emotional intelligence is crucial for managing relationships both up and down the organisational ladder. Self-awareness helps Leaders recognise when their decisions are driven by personal ego rather than collective outcomes. Self-belief empowers Leaders to confidently navigate their roles, even among peers and senior stakeholders, without needing external validation.
Are there Executives who haven’t mastered these skills and tensions yet?
In my opinion, some have, and many haven't. The fault is not solely with individuals though. Traditional organisational systems often emphasise task management, which can stifle leadership growth. Board directives are a prime example of this. For instance, when an Executive's bonus is tied to the rollout of a new technology suite or successful acquisition, it can be challenging for them to focus on broader leadership duties. Similarly, when organisational success is primarily linked to share prices or short term financial targets, leaders often sit in the here and now, rather than taking a more future oriented and strategic view. This is where intrinsic motivation and a strong personal purpose differentiates the exponential leaders from those that revert back to familiar territories under pressure.
The fact that even the highest layer of leaders can struggle to lead rather than manage, underscores the importance of celebrating the Middle Leaders who navigate these complexities every day. So next time you see someone bridge the gap between strategy and daily operations or show a flair for influencing at all levels, stop and celebrate them. They probably don’t hear it enough.
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