Rethinking the Role of the Middle Manager was originally published by McKinsey Quarterly
Companies need to uplift their much-maligned middle managers. Not merely a midpoint to the top, they are the true center of the organization.
Stuck in the middle
Sandwiched between the C-suite and the front line, middle managers are critical yet neglected. Bureaucracy and administrivia keep them from their most crucial task: managing people.
Bad fit
Outmoded hierarchies don’t help: high performers advance to people management even when ill-suited to it, while successful people leaders assume senior roles that disconnect them from their teams.
On the right track
To help mend the middle-manager role, companies can create two different career tracks: one rewarding strong individual contributors and the other rewarding great people managers.
“Let’s not just promote people because they were good at what they did; let’s promote people because of what makes great managers. We should create career tracks where you can be a really, really good individual contributor and succeed and be rewarded for that without going into management. Keeping those separate is key.” – Bryan HancockThanks, I’m good right herePromotions aren’t always the best reward. Many middle managers prioritize autonomy, responsibility, and compensation over advancement.
Best behavior
And it pays to keep middle managers happy. Companies with managers who regularly exhibit healthy management behaviors generate between three and 21 times greater TSR than other companies.
