Why the Focus on the Middle Manager Mismatch?
You should care a great deal about your middle managers and the middle manager mismatch that they feel day in and day out. Why? Because middle managers provide the critical link between the corporate vision executives create for the organization and the frontline strategy execution required to see it through to fruition.
Managers are the hub of most organizations, but we know from people manager assessment data that middle managers often lack the support and managerial skills needed to get the job done. Because of this, middle managers feel as if they’re uncomfortably caught between the confusing, unrealistic, or conflicting performance expectations of those with more power (their boss) and those with equal and less power (their peers and their team) who, in many cases do not have the skills or motivation to get the work done.
Trying to work in the middle without going through proper new manager training, support, and agreement on what matters is stressful. If you want to increase performance in your organization, there’s probably a middle manager mismatch that needs to be addressed.
2 Middle Manager Mismatch Problems that Need to Be Fixed
According to McKinsey and CEB, nearly 70% of senior executives are only “somewhat” or “not at all satisfied” with the performance of their frontline managers, and a stunning 81% of frontline managers are not satisfied with their own performance. Overall, middle managers have challenges with two key areas that impede their success.
- Managing Time and Priorities Strategically
Did you know that almost half of a middle manager’s time is spent on non-managerial work? This is not what they are being paid to do. Managers should be working on helping their team to succeed, not on administrative tasks.Whose fault is this – the managers themselves or the organization?
The answer is both. There is a middle manager mismatch between what managers think the organization values and what, in fact, the organization is hoping they’ll deliver. What’s needed is clarity. Strategic clarity accounts for 31% of the difference between high and low performing managers.
Executives must make their expectations clear as to what they want from their middle managers and how they should be spending their time. Middle managers must co-create team clarity with their teams to best execute against business and people priorities.
Are strategic priorities clear and agreed upon with your middle managers?
- Having the Confidence, Competence, and Support to Succeed
When managers are well trained and prepared for leading others, everyone wins. Though managers believe that supporting their employees’ growth through development and coaching is a critical area in which they add value, they don’t have sufficient time or resources to devote to it.Backed by data from our leadership simulation assessments, a recent management study by the Corporate Executive Board found that 85% of new managers receive no formal management training prior to becoming a new manager, and, not surprisingly, almost two-thirds of managers underperform in their first year managing others.
Do your managers have the development, support, and resources that they need to be successful?
The Bottom Line
You will know you’re on the right track when middle managers and senior leaders agree on how managers should spend their time to bring true value and when middle managers have the support they need to focus on their people and their deliverables.
To learn more about how to set your middle managers up for success, download Do You Have High Performing Managers? The 4 Management Metrics that Matter Most