Middle managers are often described as the “connective tissue” of an organization, translating executive strategy into actionable initiatives for frontline employees while also voicing the needs and concerns of their teams to leadership. This dual-facing role makes middle management uniquely demanding, requiring those in this role to juggle competing priorities, manage expectations from both directions, and maintain high levels of engagement.
Navigating Conflicting Expectations
One of the primary struggles of middle managers is the constant push and pull between leadership’s strategic directives and their teams’ operational realities. They must ensure that top-down goals are met while keeping their employees engaged and productive.
“As a leadership consultant and co-founder of Positive Leader, I’ve seen firsthand how middle managers are often caught in a balancing act—driving strategic goals from senior leadership while supporting, motivating, and developing their teams,” says Paul Fayad who, in addition to this role, serves as CAO at ELM Learning. “This dual responsibility is not just operational,” says Fayad. “It’s emotional. Managing up and down requires a high level of emotional intelligence, adaptability, and resilience.”
Ambiguity in leadership priorities further complicates this. Dr. Shonna Waters, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fractional Insights, highlights how alignment issues start at the top: “Studies show that only about half of top executives can correctly list all the company’s priorities—and that alignment gap grows dramatically at the next level,” she says. “When middle managers have no unified reference point, they can’t steer their teams effectively.”
This misalignment forces middle managers into a reactive mode, adjusting on the fly rather than executing a clearly defined vision, she says.
Overburdened and Underdeveloped
Many middle managers are promoted based on technical expertise rather than leadership skills, leading to a lack of preparedness for the interpersonal and strategic demands of the role. Unfortunately, once in the position, leadership development opportunities are often scarce.
“Many middle managers are promoted for their technical skills but receive little training on coaching, communication, and strategic influence,” says Fayad. Without these essential skills, managers may struggle to engage employees effectively, leading to decreased morale and performance.
Additionally, workload pressures are often overwhelming. “Worklytics data reveals that when a manager supervises more than seven direct reports, collaboration demands (meetings, emails, Slack messages) surge exponentially,” says Waters. While flattening hierarchy can improve agility, excessive delayering places an unmanageable burden on middle managers, making it harder for them to support their teams.
Middle managers also face an increasing emotional labor burden. As companies restructure and change strategies, they are expected to reassure their teams while defending leadership’s decisions—even when they, themselves, feel uncertain. “Amid corporate transitions—like Bayer’s multi-billion-dollar bet on cutting management—managers can feel uncertain about job security and less supported,” says Waters.
The Need for Ongoing Coaching
Many organizations provide one-time leadership training but fail to offer ongoing coaching and mentorship, which are critical for middle managers to succeed.
“Middle managers feel stressed, need coaching, and worry they aren’t leading effectively,” says Emily Killham, Director of Research and Insights at Perceptyx. “Our data shows that 70% of managers have taken action based on employee feedback, showcasing their commitment to improve. However, while 81% have had formal training, about 60% say they could use more ongoing coaching to improve their skills, and 24% have not been coached at all.”
Managers themselves are aware of this gap, but organizations often assume that formal training is sufficient. Killham notes that managers don’t necessarily need more structured training sessions—instead, they benefit most from continuous coaching and real-time feedback loops.
“Perceptyx has found evidence that coaching has clear, cascading benefits for teams as leader skills improve, but it also generates benefits for the managers themselves,” Killham explains. “Those who receive coaching are 1.3 times as likely to be fully engaged in their jobs, 1.3 times as likely to say stress levels at work are manageable, and 1.3 times as likely to be able to manage their workloads.”
Strategies for Supporting Middle Managers
To reduce burnout and improve performance, organizations must take a proactive approach to supporting middle managers. This includes better structural support, targeted leadership development, and a culture that prioritizes manager well-being.
- Right-Sizing Spans of Control
One of the most effective ways to ease middle managers’ burdens is to ensure their team size is manageable.
“Our insights confirm that a span of control hovering around five to seven direct reports balances efficiency with coaching capacity,” says Waters. When managers are stretched too thin, they are forced to prioritize urgent tasks over leadership activities like coaching and team development.
- Providing Leadership Coaching and Mentoring
Middle managers benefit significantly from direct mentorship from senior leaders. Rather than relying solely on traditional training, organizations should implement mentorship programs and peer coaching initiatives.
“Organizations can better support their middle managers by providing leadership coaching and mentoring—regular access to senior leaders or external coaches to help them navigate challenges,” says Fayad. Structured mentoring programs help managers develop emotional intelligence, communication skills, and strategic thinking—all essential for balancing competing demands.
- Reducing Administrative Burdens
A significant portion of middle managers’ time is consumed by low-value administrative work. Organizations can reduce this burden through automation, delegation, and process improvements.
“Much of a middle manager’s time is still spent on low-value administrative tasks or endless reporting,” says Waters. “Offload or automate wherever possible, so managers can reinvest time in team development, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.”
- Emphasizing Employee Well-Being
Middle managers often experience high stress and burnout, which can reduce their effectiveness. Protecting managers’ focus time, setting realistic workload expectations, and limiting non-urgent after-hours communication are simple yet effective ways to improve retention and job satisfaction.
“Overwhelmed managers become less available, fueling team frustration,” says Waters. “Protect managers’ focus time, limit non-urgent after-hours communication, and provide resources (training, peer coaching) to handle the intense relational demands of the job.”
Killham reinforces this, emphasizing that well-supported middle managers drive better employee engagement across the entire organization. “Organizations that support their mid-level managers can significantly improve employee engagement, boost productivity, and achieve sustainable success,” she says. “Giving managers the necessary tools and training fosters a culture of success and continuous development that pays dividends across the organization.”
Middle managers are the linchpins of an organization, yet they are often under-supported and overburdened. Balancing the needs of leadership with frontline realities requires emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and strong communication skills—yet many middle managers do not receive the training and support necessary to succeed.
By right-sizing team structures, providing coaching and mentorship, reducing administrative burden, and prioritizing well-being, organizations can create an environment where middle managers thrive rather than struggle.
As Waters points out, it’s not about blindly flattening hierarchies or seeing managers as overhead. “Rather, it’s about empowering these critical linchpins to orchestrate your strategy in real time. That’s when the middle truly shines as an engine of growth and agility.”
Middle managers don’t just execute company strategy—they shape its success. Investing in their development is an investment in the future of the organization.