(Re)Branding Middle Management

Written by Doreen MacAulay

Our world is full of what a colleague of mine used to call quicksand terms. Quicksand terms are those that take on meaning that interfere with how we address and embrace the term itself – and middle management is one of them. Throughout the years this ’term’ has branded mid-level managers as those who are overpaid, underutilized, and first to be chopped when budgets get tight.?

Well, as McKinsey recently made a case for Gen Z to rethink middle management, we are reminded of the importance and power of mid-level management in an organization.?People are more likely to leave an organization because of their manager than any other reason, yet many organizations still do not effectively hire, train, or support the managers that have the most direct access to people (employees and customers) and processes. So, as we start the New Year – what are you doing to prepare, develop, and maintain your middle managers??

The case for investing in middle managers has been made and it pays to make the investment.?If you are still using management positions as a carrot for high performers, then you are likely hurting your chances of success. Managing comes with a skillset that needs to be developed and enhanced for the overall betterment to an organization's goals. It is time we take McKinsey’s call to understand the value of middle managers and rebrand the term as one of value, strength, and influence.??