The Middle Manager’s Guide to Middle Management: Truth

You’ve just been promoted to management – Congratulations, you’ve made it. After that, you can sit back and let everyone else do the work. Right?

Ummm. No.

Aside from the fact that very few people actually want to be in middle management – it is now about the possibility of using your influence to benefit the organization. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re now CEO or the lowest tier of management possible – there are a few inevitable truths about your new role that I’ve learned along the way that I hope can help you.

And it all requires effort.

Truth No. 1: Every manager or leader is a middle manager

I’m not going to argue whether people think they are a middle manager or not. Plenty of managers/leaders believe they are the end of the road. It’s simply not usually accurate – not when it matters. Even CEOs have a board or shareholders for which they are accountable. In the end, every manager in the organization has someone above them. As you go up the organization, leaders have more authority but are still responsible to someone or multiple people.

Truth No. 2: Punching down is not a long-lived philosophy

In comedy, there is this idea of “punching down,” ridiculing others with lesser status. I’ve posted an argument below around why that phrase may be problematic – not one I agree with. However, plenty of managers regularly lift themselves by pushing others down in management. Please don’t do it. I’ve seen plenty of managers who have felt the temporary bump with this philosophy to be dumped out of the organization once the approach becomes known.

Truth No. 3: Management styles need to be flexible

Even the stodgiest of management jobs will require adjustments throughout your tenure. The reason is that jobs change as needs change. Your role as a leader manager is to be prepared for the tectonic plates of business operations constantly to shift. New leadership, pandemics, disgruntled employees, new opportunities, or grumpy customers will require constant change. Be flexible because things will change for you. Carol Dweck would call this having a Growth Mindset. Lead with openness, and you’ll not be surprised when everything changes on you – this will also allow you to support your team through the change.

Truth No. 4: It’s OK to fail

If you think of management as a three-legged stool, Failure is one leg, forgiveness is another, and ambition is the remaining leg. Trying new things is critical to keeping the job interesting. That can lead to Failure or success or anywhere in between. When you fail, or your team stumbles, forgiveness and humility will allow you to bounce back and try again tomorrow.

I took over a team a few years ago and came in hot. Super hot. Before I had a chance to get to know them or their challenges, I tried to fix them, and as you can imagine, the team immediately reacted to my approach. It was obvious. I took a massive step back from that misstep and acknowledged my mistake. I asked for their forgiveness for my mistake, and we moved on — as a team. This team forgave me for my brief moment of insanity, and in that forgiveness, we built a team that excelled.

Truth No. 5: You just added more customers

As a manager, you have more customers than when you were an individual contributor. Whether you are customer-facing or not, once you join management, you have just added complexity to what success means to you. In addition to your customers, you’ll have leaders, peers, and politics to navigate. Even as you rise in the ranks of middle management, success in middle management is being able to satisfy, nudge, collaborate, and ultimately win over all of these new customers.

Truth No. 6: Your team does not come to you with blank slates

Whether taking on a new team or leading your existing team, every single one of your employees will have baggage – good and bad. If you are taking on your current team, some may resist your leadership and even feel jealous of your promotion. If you are building a new team, you’ll want to ensure that you know how to manage each team member and the best way to get at that is to ask them. Some managers would bristle at this, and I understand, but I’ve rarely found that being the alpha in a room commands the respect you’d want on day one. After day one, how you support the team and the team goals will define you.

Lastly, in either case, new team or old, you’ll want to be aware that news things you try may not be new to the team. Everyone has vast experience, and pooling your team’s expertise will help you avoid common mistakes and establish a pattern of learning while leading.

References and Resources

Punching Down

Supporting Music

Biffy Clyro – Weird Leisure (Live)

Biffy Clyro – Many of Horror (Live)

Arcade Fire – Wake Up (Live)