Being a middle manager is tough. You’re stuck between the bosses and your team, trying to keep everyone happy while handling a lot of pressure.
In this episode, we talk about why leading from the middle is so hard, what causes burnout, and why middle managers are so important to every company.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed at work or like your efforts go unnoticed, this episode is for you.
If you’ve ever been in middle management, you know the drill… executives want strategy executed yesterday, your team needs support and advocacy, and you’re the one in the middle making it all happen.
That role is tough and unsustainable.
Middle managers are squeezed harder than any other layer.
McKinsey reports that half of middle managers show signs of burnout, while Gallup data reveals they’re simultaneously the least engaged group in the workplace (despite being responsible for 70% of employee engagement).
That math isn’t mathing.
So, let’s dig into why this happens, the costs organizations don’t see, and what both middle leaders and executives can do differently.
The Paradox of Middle Leadership
Middle leaders live in a constant tug-of-war:
- Enforcer vs. Empath. You’re tasked with hitting targets and delivering tough feedback while also being the open-door cheerleader.
- Translator vs. Filter. You turn executive buzzwords into actionable steps, while shielding your team from jargon overload.
- Advocate vs. Shield. You’re expected to fight for resources and absorb the blows of unrealistic expectations.
Psychologists call this role conflict.
In my work with leaders, I’ve seen how culture and convictions collide… culture says “execute without excuses,” while convictions say “protect your people.” Living in that crossfire is exhausting.
The Hidden Burnout Triggers
It’s not just workload that wears middle leaders down; it’s the psychological erosion:
- Learned futility. Push ideas up the chain and get ignored enough times, and you stop trying.
- Cognitive overload. Context-switching all day long increases error rates by 40% and drains working memory.
- Identity erosion. Burnout convinces you the problem is you, not the system, undermining confidence and silencing your voice.
Add to this the invisible office housework like mentoring, DEI committees, and culture repair, that women and underrepresented leaders disproportionately carry.
Catalyst research shows those who spend more time on this kind of work are actually less likely to be promoted, even though they’re holding the culture together.
Why Neglecting the Middle Is Organizational Malpractice
Executives often treat middle managers like a stepping stone rather than a strategic asset. But the data tells a different story:
- Deloitte found that strong middle leadership drives 30% higher retention and 23% higher profitability.
- Edelman reports employees trust their direct manager more than the CEO and the company itself.
- Gallup estimates disengaged managers cost U.S. companies $77–96 billion annually.
When middle leaders disengage or leave, organizations don’t just lose one person, they lose institutional knowledge, team trust, and the glue holding strategy and execution together.
What Organizations Must Do Differently
The solution isn’t another resilience webinar or self-care challenge. It’s structural. Research points to three starting points:
- Span of control. Keep direct reports under seven whenever possible. Beyond that is overload.
- Decision rights. Clarify authority. Don’t hold managers accountable for outcomes without the ability to make calls.
- Peer networks. Build intentional support systems. Middle leaders need cohorts just as much as executives do.
Redesigning roles, redistributing workloads, and resourcing middle leaders is how organizations protect their culture, performance, and people.
What Middle Leaders Can Do Right Now
While systemic change is essential, you don’t have to wait for permission:
- Guard your capacity. Audit meetings, tasks, and invisible labor. Protect energy like a finite resource because it is.
- Model boundaries. Saying no or setting limits signals to your team that sustainability matters.
- Build micro-networks. Even one or two peers in similar roles can buffer isolation and spark problem-solving.
- Reclaim your narrative. Don’t let burnout convince you you’re failing. Track wins, reflect on strengths, and keep your sense of competence visible.
Middle leadership might be the hardest job in the building, but it’s also the most powerful. You shape how employees experience work, how change lands, and whether trust takes root.
If you’re in the middle: know that you are not “extra.” You’re essential.
If you’re in the C-suite: stop treating middle managers as expendable. Start resourcing them like the strategic assets they are.
Because when you take care of your middle leaders, you take care of everyone.
Got thoughts or questions from this week’s episode? Drop them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you! 🫶
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I’m Tara Kermiet — leadership coach, burnout strategist, and host of The Balanced Badass Podcast®. I help high-achievers and corporate leaders design careers that are successful and sustainable.
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