Is your organization missing out on the insights of mid-level managers?

5/20/2021

Executives often make it difficult for mid-level managers to challenge them.

For too long, we’ve been trained to implement whatever the most senior executive wants.

Too often the implementation has negative ramifications on the organization. Frustration among employees, lost revenue and missed targets soon follow. And the executive team ends up scratching their heads wondering what happened.

What is almost always missing is the opportunity for candid and sincere dialogue with the managers who see things from a different perspective.

Problems that the executive had no way of knowing about can be averted. The confidence for mid-level managers can soar and their understanding of the organization’s strategic initiatives deepen.

That’s good for everyone and the organization.

How to be make more dialogue and collaboration happen?

For executives, share your thoughts and ideas for new initiatives with your mid-level managers BEFORE you implement. Ask your mid-level managers what they think about the initiative. Ask them what could go wrong.

Most of all be open and sincere about truly wanting to know their points of view. Be curious and listen to what they tell you. After all, they are closer to the day to day and have deep understanding of how the systems and processes work for their deliverables.

For mid-level managers, be confident in what your concerns are. Think strategically about what the executive wants their initiative to accomplish. Then make note of where the problems could be and think about viable solutions to those problems.

Next build the Business Case for the conversation with the executive. If you do the strategic thinking and prep work, the chances of having a meaningful and influential conversation with the executive go way up.

For many executives, this means they need to let go of control and their pre-occupation with being right.

For many mid-level managers, this means they need to be confident and prepared enough to initiate the conversation with the executive.

It takes a while for engrained behaviors and beliefs to change.

Executive coaching and the Women Managers Cohort are two approaches that can help.

I’ve seen transformational change happen for both executives and women managers. It’s exciting to help them realize the possibilities for their organizations. And for them to adjust their behavior so they get more of the results they are looking for.

The next Women Managers Cohort kicks off on July 15.
Click here https://www.wiseleader.net/women-managers-cohort.html for dates and topics.

One on one Executive Coaching starts whenever you are ready. Click here www.WiseLeader.net to find the program that is right for you.

Reach out and let’s chat about your goals and challenges. Then we can determine which leadership programming is right for you and the women on your direct report team.

Let’s get more women ready for next level roles!