Why is it so difficult to be a middle manager?
Disengaging from one task that involves one mindset and engaging in another task that
requires a very new mindset is difficult mentally. According to a large body of study, this
vertical code-switching, as we term it, may have a cost. Conflicting responsibilities cause
heightened stress and distress on the interpersonal level, representing the difficulty between
incompatible societal norms. Physically, the elevated levels of stress that come with such
tensions are risk factors for a variety of health issues, ranging from hypertension to heart
disease. Conflicting responsibilities can also disrupt cognitive capacity and the ability to
concentrate on a task without being overwhelmed.
Any people may feel that on their way to the executive suite, they will just be “passing
through” middle management. However, the fact is that most businesses need effective, long-
term mid-companies. Google attempted infamously to remove its engineering managers, only
to find that managers were important — a lot. Other researchers have also found that middle
managers may make a major change in corporate success. For example, Ethan Mollick in
Wharton recently performed a large-scale study of the computer gaming industry and found
that the middle managers' activities represented 22.3% of the income variance. All of this
means that understanding the particular psychological challenges that middle managers face,
as well as solutions for easing the stresses that come with their systemic roles, is important.
Disengaging from one task that involves one mindset and engaging in another task that
requires a very new mindset is difficult mentally. According to a large body of study, this
vertical code-switching, as we term it, may have a cost. Conflicting responsibilities cause
heightened stress and distress on the interpersonal level, representing the difficulty between
incompatible societal norms. Physically, the elevated levels of stress that come with such
tensions are risk factors for a variety of health issues, ranging from hypertension to heart
disease. Conflicting responsibilities can also disrupt cognitive capacity and the ability to
concentrate on a task without being overwhelmed.
Any people may feel that on their way to the executive suite, they will just be “passing
through” middle management. However, the fact is that most businesses need effective, long-
term mid-companies. Google attempted infamously to remove its engineering managers, only
to find that managers were important — a lot. Other researchers have also found that middle
managers may make a major change in corporate success. For example, Ethan Mollick in
Wharton recently performed a large-scale study of the computer gaming industry and found
that the middle managers' activities represented 22.3% of the income variance. All of this
means that understanding the particular psychological challenges that middle managers face,
as well as solutions for easing the stresses that come with their systemic roles, is important.
