Is this the most unhappy role in the workforce?

I still recall the visceral feeling of utter frustration when arguing a point with my manager about a new policy to be implemented that I knew my staff wouldn’t take well too.

The feeling that, even though you’re being asked your opinion on the matter, you’re not really, because you know the decisions’ already been made and what you say won’t change that.

It’s a feeling akin to defeated, yet as a Middle Manager, who cares deeply about your team you somehow find the strength to persevere, even though you’re burnt out of having your opinion asked and being met with empty promises like ‘we’ll consider that’. Each time, a little more trust erodes from the relationship and you grow just the little bit more weary.

We're rarely given a serious voice at the table, yet we're paid lip service to through functionally purpose-less diversity policies, designed to make us feel included in high level decisions, regardless of the fact we actually operationalise policy and see the wastage caused by ineffective and inefficient resource allocation.

Sadly, this occurs for many Middle Managers in a study reported by Forbes; those of us who feel 'stuck in the middle of everything' are most unhappy, frustrated and underappreciated at work.

For me, it's why I never lasted long in organisations that professed to have ‘great work cultures’ and ‘we’re like a big family here’ team dynamics, I was always left feeling disappointed by the emptiness and lack of belonging when I didn’t witness these values being embodied by those 'Leaders' professing them. It would almost have been better if they were just honest from the onset, ‘We’re going to work you senseless’ and ‘We actually don’t give a shit about your opinion’– at least they’d be fulfilling their ‘honesty’ value.

An imperfect Leader, I always felt I strived to put people first and although I’d heard ‘business isn’t personal’ a million times in my career, I couldn’t help but feel attached to my team, wanting to support their needs, often to the detriment of my own when this wasn't reciprocated by my superiors, leaving me working long hours with limited resources.

I felt resistant to the revenue-only focused agenda I was being held accountable to prioritise, I understood how our team best functioned because I was actually on the floor with them every day, yet my understanding and insights of what motivated ‘us’ as a team was never taken seriously or simply overlooked.

I’ve always felt there are few worse feelings that being unseen and underappreciated, especially whilst working your butt off to achieve KPI's and keep the team happy, a sting I've felt first hand from my superiors, and which I now know is not uncommon among Middle Managers globally.

If you’ve resonated with my experiences, know you’re not alone.

Over 79% of people who quit their job cite ‘lack of appreciation’ one global study revealed, with 41% of all employees leaving voluntarily in Australia citing poor relationship to their supervisor (AHRI, 2018). The Forbes article I cited earlier found that of their most 'unhappy' cohort, the Middle Managers, cited their number one grievance was poor leadership coming from above, leaving them feeling dissatisfied, uncommitted and questioning whether or not their work even mattered to the organisation, ouch!

It can be a lonely road for those of us wanting equal priority for people and profit in the way we do business, especially when we're trying to drive this from Middle Management positions. Often the support we so seek simply won’t come entirely from within our organisation, despite how hard we try to push, plead, and proliferate its necessity.

But that doesn’t mean the road isn’t worth walking; Middle Management plays a critical role in keeping organisations functioning, staff engaged and stakeholders priorities met, and it will take a collective effort to continue driving better, human-centric business.

Change-makers CAN come from Middle Management, we're critical in keeping the wheels on the bus turning and through our Leadership behaviours we shine the light towards better business for HUMAN BEINGS.

Don’t allow your ideas, empathy, humanness, and light be dimmed by policy that doesn’t allow it to shine, keep learning and developing your Leadership because the next wave of revolution in business is the Human Revolution. We have the power to drive this from any position in an organisation, even when we feel unseen or unheard, we are inspiring those around us through how we choose to show up.

Join us on the path to better business for human beings at Management Mindfulness - launching an exciting new platform to support you in 2022.?