ON THE FRONTLINE: THE MIDDLE MANAGER

(Part 3 out of 3)

What makes a Successful Middle Manager?

We can measure the success of a middle manager on a personal basis by looking at the raises, promotions and bonuses, and in a less quantifiable level, personal satisfaction, respect and positive appraisals.

However, when it comes to measuring their success, as linked to the larger performance of the firm which hinges on their successful occupation of their roles, it can be slightly more difficult to gauge success with profit and sales given how dependent a middle manager’s role is on soft skills, interpretation and dynamic capabilities (notably the skills which an MBA should impart).

“Our recent research shows that, on a personal level, middle managers should be multitasking, ready to accept and cope with change and uncertainty, they should be ‘multilingual’ – able to communicate both upwards and downwards, well informed with regard to their company's internal and external circumstances and able to make best use of any synergies between the two.”

The roles of middle managers are extremely diverse, varying from one department to another, as well as from company to company. Practical advice, therefore, must be individually tailored says Dr Christodoulou, adding that being able to draw on the various elements of the above types as the circumstances demand is probably a good starting point.

The personal characteristics of a middle manager play a large role in strategic behavior, with strategic baladeurs and synthesizers most affected by qualities such as assertiveness. Communicators and implementers are the types most affected by the internal environment – more formalized communicational procedures can limit the scope of the impact a manager can make.

“Finally, one should always be aware of a middle manager’s political behavior as regards procedural justice within an organization,” Dr Christodoulou warns. “If middle managers feel they are being treated unfairly and that they are not engaged as they should, they may develop a shadow behavior that could, at worst, sabotage a project.”

On the Frontline: the Vulnerability of the Middle Manager

The dynamic nature of the middle manager’s role, while not without its positives, also sadly means that they are vulnerable to change. In the late 90s, for example, many middle managers lost their jobs as a result of a slew of mergers and acquisitions.

“Middle managers are the agents and the victims of change since they are 'crushed in the middle’,” says Dr Christodoulou. “It seems that they were laid off exactly for the same reasons they were important: their place in a firm’s hierarchy, their multi-task job description, their experience and age.” But this is not the basis for a sob story, he qualifies.

“It is not a matter of being prudent or fair, it is an element of their job's nature, their role's genetic construction if you prefer. They are managers in very neuralgic positions, where elements such as information, authority, and responsibility are disseminated throughout the organization.  Being in such a position, you need to learn and adapt very quickly both for personal and organizational reasons.”

The hazards of being on the frontline, are many – but then so are the opportunities for success. Proving yourself in a middle management role is as good a qualification for a senior management position as you can get – and that, after all, is the ultimate goal of many an ambitious MBA.

Fuente: QS TOP MBA

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