Not the top, not the bottom: 3 strategies for middle management

Expanding My Middle Even Further
So there you have it: three strategies you can utilize to grow the middle deliciousness of your company. May you grow and develop it for long-lasting success! Writing this was a workout, and now I am hungry. Give me a chicken and cheese sandwich. Hold the bread. Here is to you and your business middle.
These blog posts are an excerpts from the chapter “It’s all about the middle” from Bruce Hodes' first book Front Line Heroes: Battling the Business Tsunami While Developing Performance Oriented Cultures. To learn more about the book and CMI's programs click here.

Not the top, not the bottom: the third strategy for middle management

The Third Strategy
Still another way of developing the middle is through the establishment of a middle management development and training program. What this does is either bring in talented new hires or promote key employees into a rotation of positions throughout the company. Rotations can last from six months to a year, and the entire program can last up to two years.

At one company I worked with, the underwriting manager became the claims manager, and the claims manager became the underwriting manager. What was great was that the employees of each department stepped up to support and train their new managers. This had some positive results. By teaching their new bosses, the employees better learned their own disciplines and roles. They also gained experience in managing up and supporting a manager to win. Meanwhile, the new managers got trained in an aspect of the business with which they were unfamiliar. They became better-rounded executives.

At another company, managers formally rotated to sales and production management positions before being eligible to be plant and territory general managers. This type of initiative provides a training and development course that allows employees to experience and learn about the different facets and aspects of the firm. This makes them more valuable as future leaders of the company.

To learn more about CMI's strategic development programs click here.

Not the top, not the bottom: the second strategy for middle management

The Second Strategy
Another way to support the growth and development of the middle is to form a group of middle managers from various companies. Participants are leaders from different departments: sales executives give input to production and human resource department heads, and so on. There is learning and sharing of different views that goes on during the group sessions, which I also recommend being led by an outside facilitator.

I have led such a middle manager key-employee group. We met for each session at different companies, which allowed participants to see the different facets of participating organizations. This key middle management group also gained perspective by reading a different book for each session. Members coached one another on issues and concerns brought to the meetings. The coaching model we followed goes like this:

1. A participant presents a problem with which he or she wants coaching and counseling. This is something challenging that they want their peers’ perspectives on.

2. In “round robin” style, everyone asks questions about the issue. You are only allowed to ask one question at a time. Once the question is asked, the person presenting the issue responds with an answer. Then the next person asks a question. Once all questions are asked and responded to, it is assumed that everyone understands the issue.

3. Participants then give coaching and feedback to the person presenting the issue. The participants, in effect, become one another’s board of advisors.  
For more information on CMI's leadership development programs click here.

Not the top, not the bottom: 3 strategies for middle management

I have never been a lover of the sandwich. It sounds un-American and un-manly. However, my lack of interest comes from the bread - the sandwich’s top and bottom. What’s the purpose? However, I am wildly attracted to the middle of the sandwich. Whether the sandwich is ham and provolone, chicken and mustard, or peanut butter and jelly, for me it is always the middle that dictates how much a sandwich is enjoyed and appreciated.

I can imagine that you think an ode to the middle of sandwiches cannot in any way be related to a series of blog posts about successfully growing an organization. Stay put and hang in there, as I am truly a genius; here comes the transition.
Not the Top, Not the Bottom


In privately held companies after a certain size (50-500 employees), it is the middle—as in management—that is a critical element of a company. We are talking about the layer of leadership and coordination between the top strategic leadership and the front line. It is this middle that will help dictate the firm’s long-term success.

This assertion flies in the face of what most business commentators offer. These talking heads focus on the importance of the top of the company—the Steve Jobs, Jack Welch, and Ken Leahy CEOs are all, according to the pundits, apparently single-handedly responsible for the success or demise of their organizations.

Typically, companies of about 50-500 employees or more, have a “middle” as in management. ” These key employees are important to the success of the overall organization. These key employees, now called managers and/or team leaders, become crucial in leading and developing different sectors of the company.

So, what should be done? How is it that a company dealing with today’s myriad challenges can also develop a strong middle that aspires to leadership? How is a cast of characters like this developed? In the next few weeks I will outline three strategies that I have seen utilized in successful companies.

Interested in learning more about CMI's strategic leadership development programs?  Click here.

Holiday Team Building Party

The holidays are generally a time filled with festivities, good cheer and even better food. Unfortunately today’s rough economic climate brings more and more cutbacks in the workplace. Don’t let your end of year celebrations and holiday parties “make the cut.” Instead, save money with CMI’s Holiday Team Building Party. This is the perfect time to let your guards down, bond with your co-workers, celebrate 2011 accomplishments and toast to 2012.

Overview
CMI’s customized team building party will boost your employees’ morale and spur their motivation for the upcoming year. CMI’s Holiday Team Building Party includes business simulations, built around team games, which use the participating group as a model. With the help of a facilitator the group explores ways they could better work together by viewing, discussing and assessing their own behavior regarding teams and teamwork. CMI will also incorporate aspects of your traditional holiday party into your Holiday Team Building Party. CMI’s Holiday Team Building Party will help you build productive teams, which in turn, brings about success for your company.

Outcomes

• Learn about stages of team development and the leadership style needed in each stage 
• Tools and techniques to measure teams for high performance 
• Build productive work teams 
• Spur employee motivation 
• Boost employee morale 
• Have fun!

For more information about CMI's Holiday Team Building Party, click here.

The first rule of planning

The first rule is “always pick the right team for planning.” This poses the question of who should be part of the planning team. This is an important question. It is important that planning team members are people who are committed to, and can add value to the conversation about the growth of the company.

The only exception is if there is a key employee or manager you want to develop. If you want them to better understand the strategic issues facing the company, then it might make sense for them to be a part of the process.

In addition you can have members of the planning team who are outside of the leadership group. These could be sales people and other key employees. It important that you vet them and ensure that they are of the quality and stature that is required for being a part of the planning group. It is also important that they are all getting their jobs done and are employees of stellar standing within the company.

A number of times over the years I have seen the wrong leaders and key employees involved in planning and their participation actually hurt the effort. Pray give us an example you ask? Ok, well there was Jason who in the middle of the year abruptly left the company.

After an investigation it became apparent that Jason was not returning customer’s calls. In fact, lots of work around Jason’s customers was not getting done. Yet we spent a lot of time in planning on improving customer service. Jason had actually taken on being a Champion in and working on improving customer service. Then we got to see what he was actually doing—talk about a buzz killer. It was enough to make me want to use that aforementioned pointed stick.

How did this happen? What allowed Jason to be on the team that was led to this dark place? Clearly there was a lack of supervision. His manager was not providing oversight. What was really going on you ask? This could be the subject for an article or book and that is for another time.

Then there was an HR manager at a manufacturing plant who took employees into her office and gossiped about managers. A number of times she would run out of the planning session crying. Again a buzz killer. Then she left. Thank GOD and music please!

After her departure, the CEO added Lucinda to the team. She was young, energetic, knowledgeable and clearly had a vision of what the company could be. Her role was completely different than the first HR manager. Lucinda’s addition to the planning team was constructive and positive.

So, the message here is pick wisely and selectively. Members of the planning team must be able to maintain complete confidentiality and be fully engaged in the growth and well being of the company. Select the employees who are passionate about growing the company, developing an extraordinary organization and being the CEO’s partner in accomplishing those things. Don’t have people be part of the planning process only because of their position or accept mediocrity.

For more information about CMI's planning process visit our website: www.cmiteamwork.com