The Middle Manager Conundrum

New managers that are transitioning from one of THEM (their team) to one of US (managers) can often feel stressed and frustrated because they haven’t been given the training and support they need to succeed.

It’s frustrating because they want to be successful. I mean, who want’s to be a lousy leader no one likes or respects?

Hmmm, that’s right – no one!

Because…

Every leader wants to lead a high performing team.

Every one wants to be on a high performing team.

There was a time when this gap went larged ignored and organizations would assume it would get better on its own.

Thankfully many new managers are speaking up. They want training. They want development. They want success.

But what if your new managers aren’t asking?

Well, here are a few telltale signs that your managers need some additional support and training:

• Inability to hire and retain top talent – you already know the high cost of turnover. And you can’t afford it, and you shouldn’t settle for it.  People generally quit managers, not jobs.

• Complaints to HR – disgruntled employees complain to HR about being treated unfairly, want to be transferred to another department, they quit, or even worse, they quit and stay to become under performers or cancer agents in your organization.

• Low productivity – when employees feel disengaged from their manager, engagement suffers, when engagement is low, productivity slides. Another cause of low productivity results from vague expectations and ineffective feedback.

• Stressed managers – managers know when they are failing and they don’t like. If you aren’t taking their concerns seriously they are likely to find a place that will.

For most businesses, employees are the biggest line item in the budget. They are also a company’s biggest differentiators. A company’s people—and those people’s commitment to the organization—determine whether it will flourish or fail.

You already know that fewer things have a bigger impact on an employee’s engagement, productivity, and overall happiness at work than their direct manager.

Fixing the problem isn’t expensive.

Dancing around the problem, throwing cheap, ineffective resources at it, or flat out ignoring it, is.

And it is fixable. Do you have the fortitude to do something about it?

When I work with my clients, my first step is to figure out where the problem is.

Is it Process? Job fit? Accountability? Skill? Coachability? Flat out Ability?

Sure, this cost money, but ask yourself what is it costing you to do nothing?

At the end of the day, every good manager wants to be the leader of a high performing team. Every good employee hopes to be part of a high performing team. 

Engaged employees get things done. 

Nonengaged employees quit, or quit and stay.

When team members are fully engaged, their sense of purpose drives the business mission. You must have managers who possess the skill and aptitude to lead.  Commit to providing them the training and support they need.

Not sure what your managers need?

Ask them.