Take care of your middle

They are still at it and making these silly jokes against the middle managers in the WebSphere. Here are just some of the recent ones I got:

Question: Why can’t AI (artificial intelligence) replace middle managers?

Answer: Because it’s not designed to be useless.

Question: How many managers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Answer: None. They wait for it to burn-out and ask you why it’s down.

I remember listening to the celebrated business guru Tom Peters say years ago: “The primary job of the middle manager is to slow things down.” But this was when businesses were highly hierarchical and silo-driven. Work was manual or analog in a bygone industrial era in which bureaucracy ruled, and managers functioned like cogs in a vast machine, easily replaceable and disposed of.

Middle managers have long endured an undeserved reputation, often seen as mere rule enforcers and paper pushers. But it can be argued that this is no longer the case.

According to McKinsey’s Emily Field, Bryan Hancock and alumnus Bill Schaninger in their book, “Power to the Middle,” this perception is unfair and detrimental to the future of work. Middle managers play a crucial role in shaping an organization’s success and offer a compelling argument for redefining their position in the corporate hierarchy.

The current management trends, such as “lean and mean” and “flattened” organizational charts, have inadvertently pushed middle managers into burnout and insignificance. The more progressive companies know that unlocking their potential allows them to fulfill their primary role: managing people. Successful middle managers are those who connect the company’s purpose with the interactions they have with their team members. However, they often need help with administrative tasks that distract them from focusing on their true strengths.

Relieving middle managers of bureaucratic burdens empowers them to be compassionate leaders, foster a stronger sense of purpose among employees and enhance loyalty, resulting in improved performance. A critical factor hindering middle managers’ effectiveness is the need for more trust from senior leaders. While executives may believe they are adept at delegating, they often struggle to relinquish control and entrust their subordinates with greater responsibility. So they micro-manage. This lack of trust adversely affects middle managers’ ability to make strategic decisions that benefit their teams.

But when you take care of them, train them in leadership skills, and trust them to make decisions, senior leaders can create a harmonious environment where middle managers are free to devise effective strategies, foster collaboration, and make decisions that serve the best interests of their teams. I also see a persistent pain point in many of my corporate clients. The able and experienced senior executives are on their way to retirement and realize they have a shallow bench of middle managers that can succeed them, and this is a serious situation.

In the battle for attracting and retaining top talent, middle managers emerge as critical players. Still, a great majority of these managers feel that their organizations need to support them in their roles as people managers by rethinking recruitment and retention strategies and collaborating closely with HR, these managers can define the necessary skills for each position and contribute to creating compelling job descriptions. Middle managers play a pivotal role in helping new hires navigate the onboarding process, fostering a sense of belonging and ultimately strengthening ties to the organization.

As businesses navigate the challenges presented by automation and artificial intelligence, the role of middle managers must evolve. No longer confined to paper pushing, they must transition into talent-managing coaches and connectors. This transformation can occur when they are entrusted with a deep understanding of ground-level operations and equipped with the tools necessary for success. Through this shift, companies can harness the full potential of middle managers and leverage their unique position to drive innovation and employee engagement.

The time has come to dispel the misconceptions surrounding middle managers and recognize their immense value in shaping the future of work. The McKinsey folks Bryan Hancock says, “Part of the reason businesses are battling attrition is that workers feel disconnected from the larger purpose of their work.” Bill Schaninger says: “No one has a better perspective on the day-to-day operations than middle managers.” So if you’re thinking of cutting your midlevel managers in the new world of work, think again.

(Francis Kong’s podcast “Inspiring Excellence” is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, or other podcast streaming platforms.)