As a middle manager, seeing stories like Amazon and the endangered future of the middle manager are a cause for concern. Other companies are following suit. Google has cut “top management roles by 10%”1. Citi reduced its organization structure from 13 to 8 layers2. All signs are pointing to middle management becoming obsolete, right?
On the surface, it make sense. Cost saving measures are on the rise as the effects of inflation in the US economy are still heavily felt. An organization’s ability to invest are being hampered to some extent. Couple that with middle management roles are usually some of the most significant in the organization’s budget. The ROI equation then becomes challenged. Additionally, reducing middle managers helps to flatten the organization structure which could allow for things like faster decision-making through less consensus building and overall reduction in the potential of bureaucracy.
Going deeper, this isn’t binary. Yes, quality, talented, and motivated individual contributor can manage their tasks themselves and communicate. However, when it comes to management that is just the tip of the iceberg. The bottom line, managers can add value. You can get a crappy one, just like you can get a crappy accountant, engineer, or analyst. Good managers do more than just supervise; they lead. The flatter the organization, the harder it is to look after the work and more importantly, the people. It is more likely that:
- Both good and not so good team members can fly under the radar due to managers not being in the day-to-day with them
- Indecision can be replaced by no decisions because the team is waiting on more senior management due to competing [time] priorities
- The team using sight of the vision, mission, and strategies that are driving what the work priorities and then their individual and team purpose can come into question
Every organization has to find their sweet spot; the ratio of individual contributors to managers and the size of the organization matters. No matter where you are in an organization and what you do, doing it well is a given and makes any decision an organization has to make that much harder. Middle managers will always have a target on their back due to organization needs and politics. That is why it is so important as middle managers to keep your skills up, be adaptable, and remember that it only takes one to find your forever.