If you’re a middle manager, you probably already know: Your job isn’t just a role. It’s a tightrope walk. You’re expected to lead a team with clarity and confidence while also managing expectations from the top. You're asked to think big-picture and get your hands dirty in the day-to-day. It can be rewarding—and completely exhausting.
So let’s dig into why middle management is so tough, what makes this position so critical, and how to survive (and even enjoy) being the person managing the middle.
What is middle management?
Middle management sits right between the C-suite and the front lines. Middle managers are not setting the company's overall strategy, but they're not in the weeds handling individual tasks either. They might be team leads, department managers, branch managers, or project managers. Middle managers likely manage other managers or oversee multiple contributors, reporting up to senior leadership while making sure their team stays motivated and on task.
What does a middle manager do?
A middle manager’s day-to-day can vary widely depending on the expertise, but the role often includes:
- Translating high-level strategy into actionable team goals
- Giving feedback and coaching to direct reports
- Reporting team performance to upper management
- Mediating conflicts and smoothing communication gaps
- Driving productivity and performance
- Navigating change—often with limited notice
Why do companies have middle managers?
Middle managers keep operations running smoothly, help build culture, and serve as communication bridges between executives and employees. Without them, teams can feel disconnected from the company’s mission, and leadership may be unaware of what's happening on the ground.
What level is middle management?
Middle management sits below executive or senior leadership but above front-line supervisors or individual contributors. It’s the “glue layer” of org charts.
What are the challenges of middle management?
One of the most important academic studies on middle management was conducted in 2017 by Columbia University, and it is still the most relevant paper on the topic today. The study highlights that middle managers are simultaneously problem solvers and problem owners. That means middle managers might be tasked with fixing a budget issue they had no control over or implementing a policy they don't fully agree with.
“Middle managers are often caught in the middle,” says Katie Winchenbach, a corporate attorney who works in a middle management position for a Fortune 500 company. “I see many challenges that my team faces and areas where we could improve processes, but sometimes upper management is not receptive to that feedback or able to make changes to it.”
That duality is one of the key reasons why middle management can feel so thankless and stressful. You're asked to solve problems while often being excluded from the decision-making that created them.
Here are some of the biggest hurdles middle managers face—and how they show up in real life.
Constant pressure from both sides
You have direct reports asking for raises and execs asking why the team is behind on deadlines. You're the buffer—and the sponge. It can be emotionally and mentally taxing.
Lack of autonomy
Unlike upper management, middle managers usually can’t set their own budget or long-term goals. But you’re still responsible for delivering results within whatever boundaries are handed to you.
Threat of burnout
Juggling people management, performance reviews, deadlines, and reports can take a toll. Many middle managers report feelings of fatigue, disengagement, and even questioning their career path. (Hello, middle management crisis.) The Columbia University study shows that middle managers experience high levels of depression and anxiety compared with other roles.
Read this next: Your Guide to Work Burnout: Symptoms, Causes, and Steps to Take
Feeling stuck in your career
Middle management can feel like a career plateau—you’re not new, but you’re not quite in the executive pipeline either. Being right in the middle, promotions can be few and far between.
Conflicting expectations
You may be told to prioritize innovation, but then penalized for taking risks. Or asked to give honest feedback upward, then met with silence or resistance. It’s a tightrope of diplomacy and decision-making.
Emotional labor and people problems
You're expected to manage morale, conflict, motivation, and mental health—all while managing your own. That’s a lot of emotional bandwidth, especially when you're not trained as a therapist or coach.
How to survive middle management
These solid strategies can make your middle management experience more sustainable and satisfying.
Get clear on expectations
If your role feels blurry, talk to both your boss and your team. Clarify your priorities, responsibilities, and what success actually looks like.
Set boundaries (for real)
It’s easy to feel like you need to be “on” 24/7. But protecting your time and energy is key. Block time for deep work. Take your lunch. Unplug when you're off the clock.
“You'll have a lot of things thrown at you and if you try to handle them on your own you'll be overwhelmed,” Winchenbach says. “There's a reason you have a team. It's important to lean on those people. If you feel like you can't lean on them, that's where the teaching and mentoring comes in!”
Advocate for yourself
You’re advocating for your team constantly—don’t forget about you. Whether it's professional development, mentorship, or clearer communication from your higher-ups, speak up about what you need.
Find your people
Middle management can feel isolating. Create a peer network where you can swap stories, vent, or brainstorm. Even one coffee chat a month can make a difference.
Read this next: How to Network and Turn Contacts Into Valuable Connections
Focus on what you can control
You can’t change your company’s executive culture. But you can create a positive environment for your team, make thoughtful decisions, and model resilience. That impact matters more than you think.
Build your leadership brand
“Lead in your own way,” Winchenbach says. “There is no one way to be a good manager, so you have to do what feels right for you.”
Keep learning, growing, and stretching. Read up on middle management theory. Take a course. Develop new skills. When you show you're ready, put your own twist on it.
Read this next: 10 Most Common Leadership Styles and Their Pros and Cons
Acing the middle management challenges and solutions
Middle management it’s one of the most important (and misunderstood) roles in any organization. If you're feeling stuck, stretched thin, or just plain exhausted—we see you. But with the right support, boundaries, and mindset, you can turn a challenging role into a meaningful, fulfilling part of your career journey. You’re not just managing the middle. You’re holding it all together. And that’s no small feat.