Supporting the Middle Manager
McKinsey & Company along with Lead In recently released their Women in the Workplace 2023 report, debunking four myths on the state of women at work and following it up with recommendations for organizations to help create a path forward. We highly encourage you to check it out!
The report is chock-full of both informative statistics and tips for leaders to make positive change. And one of their recommendations is to: Support and reward managers as key drivers of organizational change. This tip can be applied to everyone, and we’d like to expand upon it, pulling from the Building Champions coaching frameworks.
In this article, we provide tips for organizations to better prepare, equip and grow their managers—so that they can, in turn, cultivate healthy and high-performing teams where people belong, are encouraged to share their perspectives and are supported to grow in all areas of their lives.
The job of the middle manager is not usually glamorized. Often, it’s viewed as a position stuck between the enterprise leader’s expectations and the direct report’s deliverables. And if that’s indeed the reality of the role, then it’s indeed exhausting. A role living in a tension like that will undoubtedly lead to burnout. That’s why organizations need to pour into their middle managers so that they can pour into those they lead. This requires communication, active listening and a vision that deeply connects to every person and every role within the company. And we want to highlight three ways for organizations to support their managers so that they’re better equipped to be key drivers of organizational change.
3 Ways Organizations Can Support Their Managers
Regularly hear from your managers. For your managers to become key drivers of organizational change, they must be heard—and not merely heard but both acknowledged and appreciated for their viewpoints. People leaders have a unique lens into their teams and the daily job functions that it requires to get the organization’s work done. You’ve got to listen to them. What do they need? What do their people need? Are there any training gaps? If there’s turnover in the department, find out why. Assume nothing, but approach intentional conversations with your managers with curiosity. Be ready to learn from them. Find out how you can support them as they support their teams. And follow-up with them. Create time for regular check-ins and stay accountable to your promises.
Ensure each manager understands how the work of their team connects to the company vision. For some departments, the connection between the daily job functions and the company’s overall vision will be obvious, but it might take a more thorough explanation for others to understand the role they play. If someone feels like a cog in a wheel, they will not be inspired to do their best work. So take the time to help your managers see the vital role their team plays in accomplishing the organization’s vision. And once they’re inspired, they’ll inspire their teams. When a team knows their purpose and believes in the mission of the company that they trade their days for, they’ll become a group of healthy, high-performing individuals who feel valued and appreciated (as they should be).
Enable your managers to use their PTO. As mentioned above, the role of a middle manager can lead toward burnout at an aggressive pace. And a team lead doesn’t always feel like they can delegate their workload to take that much needed and much deserved break. But this isn’t healthy. No one person should be so vital to a team that they can’t take time away from their work. Help your managers feel the freedom to use their PTO. If they’re hesitant to do so, then find out why. Learn how you can help support them. If delegation is a weak area, then help them to see their time away as an opportunity for growth in that area. When people are enabled to truly unplug and rest, they’ll come back refreshed and more productive than before—but sometimes they need to feel supported by their organization to actually do so.
Another way to help your managers feel supported would be to invest in their development. We’ve coached thousands of leaders to help them get clear on how their work connects to their organization’s vision and how they can find purpose in their daily lives. And we’d love to partner with you as you both support your teams and grow your business. Check out our website to learn more about our offerings. Also, our latest eLearning series on self-leadership would be a great way to invest in your managers while allowing them to work toward growth at their own pace. When you bundle our Self-Leadership Digital Series, you’ll cover the areas of life planning, vision, focus and execution. Check it out!
