10 Tips for Navigating a New Middle Management Position at a Large Corporation

Joe Weinlick
Posted by in Career Advice


Middle managers in large corporations experience many challenges when sandwiched between upper management and subordinates, especially when they are new to the company and unfamiliar with how teams work together. Even when you are new, decisions out of your control can trickle from above while you hold the responsibility of communicating the news to your direct reports, regardless if it is negatively or positively received. The trick to surviving a new middle management position in a large corporation is to learn how to make both sides happy through open and honest communication and respectful actions that are beneficial to every person representing the company.

1. Be a Team Player

Gain the respect of your direct reports and the employees you serve by learning how to do all aspects of the job. As a middle manager, one of your responsibilities is to guide, support and help your subordinates. Show them that you have the experience, knowledge and ability to lead by learning as much as possible about employees' roles and the ins and outs of their positions.

2. Understand the Mission and Goals of the Company

Your role as a middle manager is heavily concentrated in running day-to-day activities. You need to fully understand the purpose of your job to succeed. Make sure that you clearly understand not only your role in the hierarchy of the firm but also the goals and mission of the business. Work with upper management to enhance your knowledge of the company's strategies and long-range expectations.

3. Accept Responsibility

It can be challenging when you are blamed for an employee mishap, but as the middle manager, you are ultimately responsible for performance and productivity levels. Accept responsibility instead of passing the buck to one of your team members. Use these instances as opportunities to re-evaluate training and processes that led to the mistakes instead of pushing the blame on others.

4. Seek Conflict Training Opportunities

As a middle manager, you'll encounter conflicts. Regardless if the conflicts stem from upper management or your team members, seek training opportunities, workshops, seminars and college courses that provide you with skills in conflict resolution, negotiation and crisis management. Reduce the risk of making a quick decision when faced with a conflict; instead, rely on your training to guide you through mediation.

5. Promote a Positive Company Culture

Middle managers can positively impact the morale of corporations. You have access to upper management, lower management and team members. Use this to your advantage by striving to keep morale high. Applaud accomplishments, delegate team-building activities, and report on the achievements and success of your team members to upper management.

6. Be Diplomatic

Show that you can positively impact the company by listening intently, encouraging an open office policy and taking responsibility for miscommunication. Be diplomatic in your approach, and solicit feedback and input. Be the example by displaying excellent and professional communication skills.

7. Establish Clear Priorities

Keep yourself, the company's employees and its management teams on track by creating clear priorities. Compile a list of expectations, communicate tasks that are top priority, and check on progress regularly. A middle manager who is involved and encouraging, yet clear about what is expected, can motivate both upper management and subordinates.

8. Ask Probing Questions

To provide quality service to all members of the company, you must have accurate information. Ask probing questions if you are unclear about priorities, goals and procedures. Your employees are relying on you to guide them. You need the answers to these questions to efficiently lead your teams.

9. Repair Relationships

When departments or team members are hostile with each other or negative toward upper management, it is your job as middle manager to repair these relationships. Utilize your negotiation and mediation skills to launch open discussions about problems, miscommunication or frustration. When your teams and departments are cohesive, the end result positively impacts customer service and satisfaction.

10. Be Open to Change

Large corporations make rapid changes when they are flailing or taking new directions. A middle manager must be flexible to weather the changes and inspire employees to do the same. Instead of viewing change as a negative process, see how new procedures and policies can improve the company as a whole.

It's not easy walking into a middle management position when you are unfamiliar with the company's operations and team members. However, middle managers willing to put in the leg work to learn the ins and outs of all positions, the mission of the company and strategic goals are setting examples for all to follow.

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  • Cory L.
    Cory L.

    I've got to agree with Shannon. Companies, especially larger ones, are becoming so specialized these days that it's incredibly unlikely that a middle manager will know how to do everything at once. The important skill for middle managers to learn is the ability to defer to others who are more qualified. Too many people don't like admitting they don't know something and it only hurts everyone!

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    Middle managers are often swamped with work trickling from upper management while also trying to manage subordinates. It may be next to impossible to learn every aspect of all jobs within the company. I don't think that neglecting to do this takes away from a team player approach, though. Middle managers can still be engaged without knowing how to operate all equipment or know every computer application used by employees.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @William it has been my experience, too, that larger companies have a tougher time adapting to change. It is truly unfortunate when company policies conflict with departmental strategies. It would be quicker for the department to change its strategies to keep them inline with the company policies than vice versa. Company policies don't change all that often and it's a big deal when they do.

  • William Browning
    William Browning

    What happens when you run across company policies that don't mix with your strategy to move your department forward? Is it easier to change your strategy or try to seek the change in the company? That's one area in which large companies seem to fail--they don't adapt to changes or innovation very quickly.

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