Pictured (L-R): Mid-Manager Brady, HR Supervisor Jared Williams, Total Rewards Director Jonathan Beaird, HR Director Erin Kerry, HRBP Kesandra, HRBP Anela, CEO William Harris, and Talent Development Partner JD
I was recently asked to meet with a leadership team and focus on how they could improve alignment, collaboration, and trust. As I considered my message to them, I thought about lessons I had learned over the course of my last 20 years as a mid-manager.
At the same time, I was reminded of Dr. Julie Armstrong’s workshop on “Developing Middle Leaders” at the April 2025 Christian Leadership Alliance Outcomes Conference.
Dr. Armstrong earned her Doctor of Strategic Leadership from Liberty University with a dissertation asserting that organization effectiveness rises and falls on the effectiveness of its middle leaders. She defines middle leaders as those between Executives and front-line leaders, although some of my Executive positions could also be considered Mid-Manager roles.
Dr. Armstrong notes that the typical organization is comprised of two-thirds individual contributors and one-third people leaders. Of the people leaders, 10% are Executives; 30% are leaders of leaders; and 60% are middle managers. However, leadership development investments are concentrated primarily on Executives (50% of spend) and leaders of leaders (35%). Only 15% of leadership development investments cover 60% of an organization’s leaders!
Additionally, that investment has declined significantly—from $1200/leader in 2023 to $300/leader in 2024.
Middle leaders are critical—and they simultaneously co-enact leadership and followership. Successful middle leaders:
- Cascade and translate information in all directions
- Support employee engagement, morale, development & retention
- Drive daily work while keeping strategic eye on the future
- Influence up to senior leadership to align strategy with operational reality
- Clear the path to keep friction out of the way
Over the last twenty years, I’ve served in a “Middle Manager” role (even as an Executive); and I’ve learned many lessons along the way.
Click here to learn lessons from my 20-year middle management journey
