NOTE: The below was written a year ago, but never published. I feel the content is still relevant.
Over the last two years, I’ve written about the challenges middle managers face.
They are squeezed in the organization between policy and execution.
I wrote about this in the post Managers Need Support.
Another article, The Tricky Move to Manager, covered the lack of training during transition.
What is interesting when I look back at these posts, they both mentioned Fast Company articles.
Today, I saw another Fast Company article that has me considering the manager topic again.
This article is titled Managers are Not OK. Why We are Headed to a Manager Crash in 2025.
While managers are still feeling the pressure, other challenges are emerging.
Manager layoffs have put increasing pressure on individuals managing larger and larger teams.
And the next generation has little interest in moving into managerial roles.
My Perspective
Organizations continue to try to leverage traditional work models in a new environment.
The way work is done is completely different than it was 20 years ago.
Management isn’t that different.
Trying to apply past approaches to current situations is causing overwork and emotional burnout.
Companies need to get underneath how the work is done in their organization.
Discovering where leadership is needed.
And where it’s not.
Redefining the role of the manager and setting new expectations.
Figure out what is holding younger employees back from leadership roles.
Take their input and mold what’s next.
Treat the employee experiences just like customer experiences.
Discover the pain points and find solutions to resolve them.
Your Turn
Do you see the pressure on middle managers in your organization?
What are the biggest challenges to be faced?
How could you start a project to get underneath the issues and design solutions?