Dear Friends,
Wake-up call!
The one situation in past decades that has either not changed at all or changed little is about the challenges middle managers grapple with in organizations. This is a reality. They are, in fact, caught in between two grinding wheels, where their maximum energy, efforts, and time go into finding and managing a breathing space between these two wheels. One represents the leadership (senior managers), and the other one is of people reporting to them. In many organizations, they are undervalued, not listened to, and not involved in the decision-making process, leading to a situation where middle managers feel that their hopes are stagnated, and the road to career progress is blocked. They find themselves trapped between the realities of employees' expectations and senior management aspirations. Moreover, these managers are blamed by both the upper team and lower team as ineffective. The conflicting demands of both pressure groups are because of their structural positions.
In the changed working environment where organizations are shifting towards a hybrid work model with a more distributed workforce, it is also apprehended that the traditional role of middle managers may become irrelevant. The 9-to-5 working model is no longer relevant in the present technology-driven business environment where digitalization is rapidly replacing the physical workplace.
The challenges are manifold. First of all, it would be wrong to believe that the middle manager's role will disappear in the future. It will not. But yes, the skill set of middle managers will change; the role just needs to evolve. The hybrid work model is not feasible in all sectors. The manufacturing sector is going to work at a fixed place with the physical presence of the maximum possible people. Middle managers will still have a key role to play in this sector.
Leaving them to fend for themselves will lead them to failure. If you want to see organizational excellence, don't look at bosses; go to middle managers. You will get the correct picture. It is for organizations to ensure that this segment of management is consistently trained in respect of people management skills, developing talent, resolving conflicts, and setting expectations so that they are not only assessed on the effectiveness of getting the job done. Organizations should involve middle managers in the decision-making process and listen to them before making any policy that directly impacts the workplace. Because it is they who are expected to sell the management idea and implement senior management decisions. The cover story of this edition is an attempt to decode this middle riddle and the way forward to strengthen the middle managers by industry experts who all have passed through and felt the heat and real challenges of this segment.
Regards,
Anil Kaushik Business Manager - HR Magazine B-138, Ambedkar Nagar, Alwar - 301001 (Raj.) India Mob.: 09785585134 www.businessmanager.in
From India, Delhi
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182Wake-up call!
The one situation in past decades that has either not changed at all or changed little is about the challenges middle managers grapple with in organizations. This is a reality. They are, in fact, caught in between two grinding wheels, where their maximum energy, efforts, and time go into finding and managing a breathing space between these two wheels. One represents the leadership (senior managers), and the other one is of people reporting to them. In many organizations, they are undervalued, not listened to, and not involved in the decision-making process, leading to a situation where middle managers feel that their hopes are stagnated, and the road to career progress is blocked. They find themselves trapped between the realities of employees' expectations and senior management aspirations. Moreover, these managers are blamed by both the upper team and lower team as ineffective. The conflicting demands of both pressure groups are because of their structural positions.
In the changed working environment where organizations are shifting towards a hybrid work model with a more distributed workforce, it is also apprehended that the traditional role of middle managers may become irrelevant. The 9-to-5 working model is no longer relevant in the present technology-driven business environment where digitalization is rapidly replacing the physical workplace.
The challenges are manifold. First of all, it would be wrong to believe that the middle manager's role will disappear in the future. It will not. But yes, the skill set of middle managers will change; the role just needs to evolve. The hybrid work model is not feasible in all sectors. The manufacturing sector is going to work at a fixed place with the physical presence of the maximum possible people. Middle managers will still have a key role to play in this sector.
Leaving them to fend for themselves will lead them to failure. If you want to see organizational excellence, don't look at bosses; go to middle managers. You will get the correct picture. It is for organizations to ensure that this segment of management is consistently trained in respect of people management skills, developing talent, resolving conflicts, and setting expectations so that they are not only assessed on the effectiveness of getting the job done. Organizations should involve middle managers in the decision-making process and listen to them before making any policy that directly impacts the workplace. Because it is they who are expected to sell the management idea and implement senior management decisions. The cover story of this edition is an attempt to decode this middle riddle and the way forward to strengthen the middle managers by industry experts who all have passed through and felt the heat and real challenges of this segment.
Regards,
Anil Kaushik Business Manager - HR Magazine B-138, Ambedkar Nagar, Alwar - 301001 (Raj.) India Mob.: 09785585134 www.businessmanager.in
From India, Delhi
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