The Changing Role of the Middle Manager
Volume Two: Are we Preparing them for the Right Things
By: Patty Prosser
As we continue this conversation about challenges facing middle managers, I see that one of the biggest mistakes organizations make is assuming that because someone is an excellent individual contributor or a capable manager, they will automatically know how to lead people.
I recognize that organizations may not be able to wait until a manager is completely ready, but we need to do all we can to set them up for success! Many organizations understand this, but many do little or nothing by way of leadership development to help prepare them.
The reality is that managing work and leading people are two different skill sets. Yet many organizations promote talented employees into middle management positions, increase their responsibilities, and expect them to succeed without providing the training, coaching, or support they need to become effective leaders.
In today’s business environment, that assumption can be costly—not only for the manager, but also for the employees they lead and the organization as a whole.
The Middle Manager’s Dilemma
Middle managers occupy one of the most challenging positions in an organization. They are expected to translate senior leadership’s vision into action, deliver measurable results, manage competing priorities, develop their teams, and navigate organizational change.
At the same time, they must address employee concerns, manage performance issues, resolve conflict, and maintain morale—often while dealing with their own workload and pressure from above.
When organizations fail to prepare managers for these demands, several problems can emerge:
- They manage tasks instead of developing people. Because they are comfortable with the technical side of the job, they focus on getting work completed rather than helping employees grow.
- They struggle with difficult conversations. Without the right skills, they may avoid addressing poor performance, mishandle conflict, or fail to hold employees accountable.
- They become the bottleneck. Rather than empowering employees to make decisions, they try to solve every problem themselves.
- They struggle to influence upward. They may find it difficult to challenge unrealistic expectations, communicate concerns, or advocate for their teams.
- They experience frustration and burnout. They are held accountable for results without always having the authority, resources, or leadership skills needed to achieve them.
The consequences extend beyond the manager. Employees may become disengaged, talented people may leave, and senior leaders may wonder why their strategies are not being implemented effectively.
What Organizations Should Be Doing Differently
Preparing middle managers to lead requires more than sending them to an occasional training session. It requires a deliberate approach to leadership development.
1. Prepare People Before They Step Into the Role
Leadership development should begin before promotion, not after a manager starts struggling.
Organizations should assess whether potential managers can communicate effectively, build trust, provide feedback, manage conflict, and motivate others. They should also help candidates understand how their responsibilities will change when they move from an individual contributor to a people leader.
2. Teach the Skills That Management Training Often Overlooks
Managers need practical experience in:
- Emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
- Coaching employees and developing talent.
- Holding people accountable with compassion.
- Addressing difficult behaviors and workplace conflict.
- Delegating effectively and building employee ownership.
- Influencing senior leaders and managing competing priorities.
- Leading teams through uncertainty and change.
These are not simply desirable soft skills. They are essential leadership capabilities.
3. Give Managers Ongoing Coaching and Support
Leadership development is not a one-time event. Managers need opportunities to discuss real situations, receive feedback, reflect on their decisions, and practice new approaches.
Mentoring, peer learning, leadership workshops, and executive coaching can help managers apply what they learn to the challenges they face every day.
4. Make Sure Responsibility Comes With Authority
Organizations cannot reasonably expect middle managers to deliver results if they lack the resources, decision-making authority, or support to do so.
Senior leaders must establish clear expectations, remove unnecessary obstacles, and create an environment in which managers can raise concerns without fear of being perceived as difficult or resistant.
5. Hold Organizations Accountable for Developing Leaders
Leadership development should not rest entirely on the individual manager. Senior leaders must also take responsibility for creating the conditions in which managers can succeed.
That means evaluating managers not only on business results, but also on how they develop employees, build effective teams, handle difficult situations, and contribute to the organization’s long-term success.
The Question Senior Leaders Need to Ask Themselves
Before concluding that a middle manager is underperforming, senior leaders should consider a more fundamental question:
Have we given this person the skills, guidance, resources, and authority needed to succeed—or have we simply promoted them, increased their responsibilities, and expected them to figure it out?
This question does not eliminate a manager’s responsibility for their performance. Rather, it recognizes that accountability and organizational support must go hand in hand.
Some managers will still struggle despite appropriate development and support. Others, however, may become outstanding leaders when given the opportunity to learn and grow.
The Bottom Line
Organizations invest considerable time and money in business strategy, technology, and operational improvement. Yet the success of those investments often depends on middle managers who must turn strategic priorities into everyday actions.
If organizations want better leadership, they must stop treating leadership as something people should automatically know how to do. We cannot expect people to lead effectively if we have never taught them how to lead.
The organizations that recognize this will be better positioned to develop capable managers, retain talented employees, and build stronger leadership pipelines for the future.
Have a Prickly Leadership Challenge?
If you have this or another “prickly” leadership issue you’d like me to address in future blogs, please reach out to me directly, and I promise to try to discuss it!
There’s more than one way to tackle a problem or issue. Sometimes you just might need a little help! And, as always, if you or other leaders in your organization are facing similar challenges, please visit our website at The Center for Leadership Excellence.
Patty Prosser, Co-Founder and Coaching Practice Leader at The Center for Leadership Excellence 317-727-6464 | pprosser@cciindy.com