Managers both manage and lead. This true statement should stop the debate as to whether you, as a middle manager (MM), are a manager or a leader. You are both blended into one. You are a manaleader! Let’s do some first principle thinking about this. There is work that needs to be organized and carried […]
Author: dnixon
Dealing with non or low performers
If there is one thing that all MM’s dislike it is having to deal with non performance issues. It is really the idea of telling a worker that they are not performing. Add to this that they might be ‘friends’, older than you, former peers, previous high performer, a person of the opposite sex or […]
Meeting bl#!##@**!! Meetings
Do this: Look back on your calendar and see how many hours you have spent in meetings. Typically for a Middle Manager (MM) 3-6 hours will be the time spent. That does not leave much time for those to-do’s! And you need to eat and go to the washroom as well. I aim to give […]
Tailor-fitting your life into a day
A tailor takes measurements and creates or uses a pattern to guide the cutting of materials that are roughly tacked together before testing the fitting on their client. During the fitting the tailor uses pins and white chalk marker to capture adjustments needed. Later scissors, sewing machine, needles and thread will be used to craft […]
Triumph at Delegating for Results
Delegating is a process that starts with asking yourself questions and ends with the results you wanted. Choosing what to delegate As an MM you will always have a long list of things to get done. Many of those things can be done by someone else. And some have to be done by you. Make […]
Delegating – the route to Freeing up time and Developing staff
Managing is a thinking job. You think about what needs to be improved, what staff need to be developed, how to speed up service or how can I ramp up productivity, for example. Thinking takes time. A manager who is busy reacting to an inbox all day will not have time to think, research ideas […]
I know what you want me to do but why do you want it?
It is almost the end of the workday when Maria receives a call from the admin assistant to the head of HR. “ Helen has asked me to ask you to please interview all the Level 2, 3 and 4 leaders to determine their successor plans and to analyze them and provide a report to […]
The almost impossible role of a Middle Manager
A Middle Manager is accountable to their boss for achieving the results agreed, developing their direct reports, growing personally and operating within the values, policies and budget of the company and collaborating across the organization. As a middle manager you are often loaded with multiple requests. requiring change. The day to day issues that […]
Step Aside Superman and Superwoman. Middle Managers are the Secret Heroes
Middle managers are the true heroes of every company. and organization. They activate employees to get the results requested by senior management. These results add up to the company achieving its objectives and vision. All the operations of a company are in the hands of the employees managed by middle managers. They are the engine […]