Are Middle Managers critical in Leading Business Change?
- PJ Stevens
- Sep 2
- 4 min read
Middle Managers are critical in Leading Business Change
Change is relentless, it moves fast, it’s unpredictable and it will run straight over you if you don’t see it, make sense of it and lead it. Every business I work with faces the similar in that success is about both a brilliant strategy at the top and whether the people in the middle can turn that vision into reality on a daily basis.
The ‘squeezed middle’
Middle managers, project leaders, team managers and such like sit in the squeezed, pressured space between executive ambition, politics and ego, and real life, teams, KPIs and frontline delivery. They are the ones trying to translate strategy into practical steps, explaining why change matters, and balancing the daily demands of operations with the pressures of change, tech and transformations. They keep projects moving, maintain morale and often absorb the stress from above and below.
This is a tough, often thankless job. We know that leading change is messy, emotional, complex and most often failure intensive. The odds of success are not in their favour. Yet when middle managers are supported, coached and equipped, the improvements, changes and results can be dramatic. Studies not that change is more likely to stick, problems are solved sooner, ideas have a better chance to grow and thrive, teams engage rather than resist, and as a result culture tends to shift from more passive compliance to active participation.
The cost of neglect
When middle managers struggle or lack support the consequences can be severe. Its characterised by projects stalling, disengaged staff and talented people quietly leave. Many businesses fail not because the strategy is wrong but because those responsible for making it real are under prepared or unsupported. Poor leadership in the middle leads to mixed messages, low morale, conflict, missed opportunities, increased costs and waste, higher sick days and delays that ripple across the organisation.
It’s the old adage in action that people join businesses and brands but they leave because of their leaders or managers. Conversely, investing in middle managers creates useful returns, as they can bring clarity in uncertainty, solve problems with their teams before they escalate and are more likely to role model behaviours that shape healthy culture such as collaboration, accountability, curiosity and resilience.
Supporting middle managers to lead change
Supporting middle managers is essential, not an optional extra. These leaders in the business need a clear strategy, communication and priorities. Leaders above them must communicate not just the ‘what’ but the all important ‘why’ of change to help these middle leaders tell the story and engage others. The ‘critical middle’ need access to coaching, development, training and peer networks so they can learn to lead people, not just manage tasks or do it themselves. In addition, they need permission to take risks, make mistakes, challenge assumptions and make decisions that can keep projects on track.
Middle managers can either help change flourish or allow it to wither on the vine. If they are confused, scared, resist, delay or lack confidence, then any change or improvement stalls. However, if they engage, role model the right behaviours and lead with more conviction, then change has a great chance of succeeding and accelerates and embeds across the business. Executives may set the direction but middle managers carry the weight of making it real, brining it to life and so forth. If you neglect them, then the strategy is likely to collapse ( eg Peter Drucker - Strategy, Culture & Leadership model). Equip them well and they can better lead others to be at the best and deliver the strategy, change or OKRs.
Leading change with support, coaching and vision
We work with organisations to strengthen this critical layer. Using a number of highly effective process and models, including exceptionally good value Open Space events, the EXACT Prime framework to help clients move faster from here to there, and the new On-Demand Coaching model, we help middle managers and project leaders to develop clarity, confidence, vision and many of the skills to lead change effectively.
Our approach focuses on equipping leaders to navigate the practical and emotional realities of change and transformation, ensuring that projects don’t just happen, they happen well by design.
The companies that succeed in continuous improvement and transformation are those that deliberately and intentionally invest in their middle managers. They provide support, development and authority to translate strategy into action. They foster an environment where learning, collaboration, feedback (or feedforwards) and accountability are the norm. Most importantly, they recognise that change is led by people and not plans.
Strengthen the middle, strengthen the business
If you want your business to thrive, don’t overlook the ‘critical middle’. Strengthen this layer, equip them to lead, love them, nurture them and watch your organisation gain focus, momentum, results and bench strength. When middle managers improve, businesses improve, and that makes great sense to us from staff sand stakeholders to customers and communities
Closing question
If your middle managers had the clarity, confidence and authority to lead change effectively, how much faster or easier could your business improve?
CTA
If you want to explore how to strengthen and equip your middle managers to lead business change, I’d be delighted to offer a free conversation. Because when the middle improves, so does your business.
Our new Coaching on Demand service is available monthly on subscription at a very reasonable fee, and our development offering from this – coming soon – is the 100-day accelerator programme for new managers, new to role leaders or perhaps those that want to improve matters for teams and projects in the next ( you guessed it…) 100-days!
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