“Who Comes First? My Boss or My Employees?”

The Middle Manager Dilemma

By definition, middle managers are in the middle of satisfying their boss and satisfying their direct reports. Under ideal conditions, being in the middle can be very rewarding. You feel like your are accomplishing great things with these interconnected teams of people, more than you could ever accomplish on your own.

However, more often than not, middle managers get the short end of the stick. They’ve got the responsibility of managing a team, but what do they get in return? More stress? Probably. More time at work? Definitely. Enough authority to make the decisions they need to make? Probably not.

As a result, they often end up giving more than receiving, which throws the whole equation out of balance. Over time, this dynamic can lead to frustration and resentment, feeling unsafe and in need of protection, and in some cases even a decline in health and well-being. Fear always brings out the worst in people, and in some cases this fear may overflow to affect others, creating an unhealthy environment for even more people.

Let’s say you are a middle manager and your boss wants you to do something that is not in the best interest of your team. What do you do? Do you sacrifice the well-being of your employees and do what the boss wants? Or do you confront the boss and risk repercussions to your own well-being or even your career?

Factors that will make it easier to confront your boss

• My boss and I communicate effectively
• My boss usually does the right thing when faced with the facts
• I feel comfortable confronting my boss if needed
• I work in a safe environment where we are encouraged to speak openly

Factors that will make it harder to confront your boss

• I tend to avoid confrontation
• My boss is in a vulnerable situation right now
• My boss is quick to take credit for successes and place blame for failures
• My boss cares more about looking good to management than about the welfare of me and my peers

How to minimize damage when you choose your boss over your team

• Take responsibility for your decision to support your own boss, even if you don’t agree with it
• Communicate the facts with your team, honestly and respectfully
• Present your team with the bigger picture and the longer-term view, as objectively as possible
• Ask your team for suggestions in how to resolve the current situation or to prevent it from occurring again in the future
• Do whatever you can to buffer the impact on your employees, on both personal and professional levels

As a middle manager, each day will offer new opportunities for you to model integrity, compassion, and accountability to the people around you. There are always ways to demonstrate these values, even if your own management is not operating that way.

Posted by Kristin on January 17, 2010