Middle managers have a tough job and they are the engines that fuel stretegic implementation. Great middle managers engage their employees and create an environment where people are focused, results oriented, and interested in helping the business thrive. Middle managers are a key lever (maybe THE key lever) that a senior team can pull to ensure their intentions come to fruition. So you would think that organizations would know to invest in the care, feeding, and development of their middle managers. I find that the opposite is more often true.
Many of the organizations I worked with using improvement processes and philosophies like Lean. They make HUGE investments in money, time, and other resources to do Lean well. When I ask why they are willing to make this investment, most of my clients talk about how Lean has helped them manage their business, do things more effectively, and involve everyone in quality improvements.
Hmmm…somthing seems amiss here.
If you knew that a similar investment in your middle management function would improve strategic implementation and provide a great ROI, would you invest? Here are a few lower-pain/cost ways that leaders can better align, tune, and develop their middle management engine:
- Spend time with widdle managers to review and discuss strategy, goals, the desired culture (AKA values) and major intiatives. Make these meetings DISCUSSIONS not one-way informational meetings. This will go a long way toward ensuring that your middle managers are focused and able to best represent your intentions with their teams. They will make better decisions, too.
- Provide training specifically for middle managers that addresses the unique challenges they face. Help them manage multiple priorities, greater complexity, and be proactive change agents and implementors. Help them learn how to engage team members while improving accountability.
- Be very picky when hiring new middle managers. Middle management is THE toughest management gig out there and you don’t want someone who will drive away your talent (the #1 reason people quit is bad management). Change your job descriptions, interview questions, and promotion criteria so that you can better assess each candidate’s fit. Hire a great manager first, then look for functional expertise. It is much harder to find a great middle manager!
What do you think? Let me know.
Lisa Haneberg
Author of 10 Business Books including, The High Impact Middle Manager
