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Middle managers are burnt out, and they’ve had enough.
Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index highlights that 53% of managers are exhausted—slightly higher than their employees. And according to a UKG survey of 3,700 professionals across 10 countries, “managers are more often stressed out than their team members and senior leadership (42% vs. 40% and 35%, respectively), and 25% say they are “often” or “always” feeling burned out.”
The Problem
Middle managers are tasked with executing orders and putting strategies into action from the higher up executives, while simultaneously trying to build strong relationships with, and maintain the wellbeing of, their direct reports. Battling senior leaders and their reports is taking its toll on middle managers’ mental health. Since the increasing number of return to office mandates after the pandemic recovery, trends such as “quiet quitting,” labor and skills shortages, and rising costs, they’ve been faced with the constant tug of war, trying to keep two sides happy at the same time.
But it’s come close to impossible to please both at the same time. Middle managers are often blamed for creating a terrible work culture; but it is in fact, a share of the senior leadership’s responsibility as well, because there’s only so much that is within a middle manager’s control.
Executives mandate return to office for all staff, and middle managers are caught in the aftermath and backlash of enforcing it. Additionally, many managers receive no training at all, and are accidental managers, developing their management styles (which are often harmful) from their previous bosses or what they’ve seen displayed across other companies. A study revealed that among managers who oversee up to two employees, 59% have had no training at all; and for those overseeing up to five team members, 41% have reported lack of management training.
Therefore we have a situation where middle managers are promoted without any formal training simply because they are stars in their work as individual contributors, and consequently they are set up to fail, not understanding the key leadership skills they need to create a thriving workforce and strategically drive operations without burning out. All this creates an environment where middle managers no longer relish their work.
Why You Should Start A Business
But it also creates an enormous possibility for middle managers to use to their advantage. Because of where you are strategically placed in your organization, as a middle manager you likely have hands on experience of directing operations from every angle, from budgets, to organization and planning projects, to delegating and ensuring smooth collaboration between teams, to partnerships, and general leadership skills.
From this unique and promising angle, you are best equipped to take these skills and apply them to starting and running your own business. With your experience as a middle manager, you have domain knowledge which is vital to starting a business similar to the one you operate in, or as an extension of your industry, particularly if you see a need in your organization or industry that is not being addressed.
Start-up Opportunities
If you’re considering a start-up, the domain knowledge you possess is attractive to investors because if you can combine that with technical expertise from a technical co-founder, you have a better chance of securing funding for your start-up and being successful.
Thought Leadership Opportunities
You can also turn your middle management skills into opportunities to develop yourself as a thought leader. You likely would have seen it all from an individual contributor’s perspective, and now you also see what it takes to operate from a step above with an oversight on managing and coordinating different teams and contributors. You also would have done research on the ins and outs of your industry to remain ahead, and this research and knowledge will prove vital for establishing your thought leadership due to your detailed and unique perspective.
However, it’s important to recognize and note down all your career achievements and accomplishments at work, and specifically how you contributed to the growth of your department, for this to be effective and to be leveraged well. A couple business ideas that will enable you to pull from your unique expertise include:
Consultancy
As a consultant, you could decide to be a trusted advisor to a small business, or partner with larger enterprises within your sector.
Coaching
There are a number of sub-niche’s that fall under the category of coaching that you could choose from. You could coach other middle managers one-to-one, or focus on coaching people who desire to work in your industry or who already work in it.
Course Creation
The global online learning market was valued at approximately $210.1 billion in 2021, and is projected to surpass $848.12 billion by 2030, so there is huge demand and scope for you here to share your expertise and engage learners on their journey of professional development.
Freelancing as a coach, consultant, course creator, or even a podcast host will not only prove to be lucrative over time, but will cement people’s view of you as an authority in your field. Through pursuing your own business venture, you can regain control of your career, reduce burnout from the conflicting demands of upper management and your teams, and be in a position to create your own workforce of the future—one that thrives on wellbeing, purpose, engagement, and mutual collaboration and understanding.
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