Middle Management Mastery

Middle management. A group often maligned, occasionally pitied, and let’s face it, perpetually caught in the crossfire. They’re the tricky middle child. Too junior to be calling the shots, too senior to dodge the fallout, and they’re first in the firing line during restructures and redundancies.

Let’s be honest, where there’s smoke there’s often fire. Middle managers sometimes rise to a level where their primary mission shifts from creating value to defending territory. The job becomes less about growth and more about guarding the status quo - a surefire way to paint a target on your back.??

The real jobs of middle management??

Robert Keegan, the brains behind Immunity to Change, nailed it when he said everyone has two jobs. Job 1 is the obvious one: it’s on your contract, in your job description, and part of your KPIs. Job 2, though, is the shadow job: staying safe, looking good, and avoiding vulnerability. It’s exhausting and, frankly, unproductive.??

My role, as I see it, is to help people spend more time on Job 1 and far less on Job 2. But there’s a third job I’ve observed and it’s called ‘doing as little as possible for as much as possible’. For those dabbling in Job 3? Sorry, but my sympathies lie firmly with the axe-wielding headhunters.??

Why middle managers matter??

Despite the bad press, middle managers are the lifeblood of any organisation. Think of a company as an ecosystem - without energy and information flow, it stagnates. Middle managers ensure that flow. They’re the connective tissue, the ones translating vision into action, joining the dots, and keeping the organisation alive.??

Their role is about more than just execution. Middle managers create alignment, foster collaboration, and ensure feedback loops exist. Without them, strategy is just PowerPoint, and teams are just silos. Middle managers staddle the fault lines of tops, middles and bottoms.

The confidence conundrum ?

The biggest challenge I see for middle managers is one of confidence. They’re tasked with navigating the messy middle. Having difficult conversations while maintaining relationships across multiple levels of the organisation.?

To succeed, middle managers must master the art of empathy and expectation management. They need to understand their teams’ challenges and frustrations while still holding them accountable to deliver results. It’s a delicate dance, requiring both emotional intelligence and clear communication to ensure the balance doesn’t tip too far in either direction.??

Then there’s the risk of challenging a view, whether it’s pushing back on a senior leader’s decision or addressing unhelpful behaviour in a peer or team member. It takes courage to step into these conversations, especially when the stakes are high. Building confidence here means creating a culture where diverse perspectives are valued, and disagreement is seen as a pathway to innovation rather than a threat to authority.??

Middle managers are often at the front line of leveraging diverse perspectives to drive better outcomes. This isn’t just about embracing cultural, gender, or generational diversity; it’s about encouraging different ways of thinking and problem-solving. Confidence grows when managers see that fostering diversity strengthens their team’s collective intelligence and resilience.??

And all the while they operate in the reality of being time-poor and resource-stretched. Middle managers are expected to do more with less, making it easy to feel overwhelmed or stretched thin. Confidence, in this case, is about prioritising effectively, delegating wisely, and advocating for the support and resources needed to succeed. It’s also about being honest about what’s possible and negotiating expectations where necessary.??

Ultimately, confidence for middle managers isn’t just a personal trait, it’s a skill that’s nurtured through experience, investment, and support. When organisations empower middle managers with the tools to navigate these complexities, they don’t just build individual resilience, they strengthen the entire system.?

If you want great middle managers, you need to invest in their growth. That means developing their ability to:??

1. Build productive relationships

2. Communicate effectively

3. Generate creative options for progress

Why investment pays off??

Middle managers are the unsung heroes, doing all the invisible work that keeps organisations ticking. They smooth over tensions, connect the dots, and ensure the wheels don’t fall off the wagon. But this work isn’t glamorous, and it’s easy to overlook.??

The irony is, when middle managers thrive, the whole organisation thrives. They don’t just hold the middle - they drive it. So, the question isn’t whether we need them (we do), but whether we’re willing to equip them for success.? With the right support, they’re not just managing the middle - they’re mastering it.

Things to think about

• How much of your energy is currently spent on Job 1 (creating value) versus Job 2 (staying safe and looking good)? What would it take to shift the balance more toward Job 1?
• What’s one specific way you can strengthen your confidence in having difficult conversations while maintaining trust and alignment?
• What invisible work are you doing that keeps the organisation running smoothly, and how can you make that value more visible to others?

Let’s work together

I work with individuals, teams and organisations to transform leadership and lives through tailored coaching, training, team builds and development programs. I help leaders build productive relationships, communicate effectively, and develop more choices for making progress. To explore possibilities, please email me - I'd love to hear from you.