Are you trapped in the middle as a middle manager?

Here’s how to survive pressure from above and below.

Image created via Midjourney

I spent several years of my career in the uncomfortable role of middle manager. On one side, I had executives asking me why my team couldn’t “do more,” and on the other side, my employees told me they were stretched too thin.

It was an endless tug-of-war. I was both the enforcer of company expectations and the advocate for my team’s needs. At times, my role felt at complete odds with itself. Executives push for efficiency and growth, while employees look for empathy and stability.

Middle management, understandably, feels like a pressure cooker.