HOW TO BE A B-SUITE LEADER WITH C-SUITE IMPACT

Abstract

The author, founder of BoldHR, outlines how middle managers can gain more influence and leverage within organizations. These managers “are essential for bridging strategy and execution, yet receive little of the attention or support they deserve.” She contends that “if we expect middle managers to adopt a more strategic mindset—thinking less like the middle managers of the past and more like C-suite leaders—it’s time for a radical rebrand.” She provides “steps we can take to instill a C-Suite mindset in all middle managers—based on data from more than 1,000 managers in Australia.” The steps, in the author’s words, are: Assess Leadership Maturity; Focus Less on How the Work Gets Done and More on What Work Gets Done; Confront the root cause of burnout and control the pace; Once you’ve “controlled the pace,” “use the space” to boost confidence. And she notes that her company’s research shows four competencies in particular are crucial to be developed in middle managers: the “ability to motivate and engage others, their capacity to cope, their skills in managing up, and their willingness to manage their reputation. With the exception of coping, these competencies are dominated by influencing - a habit that most middle managers engage with reluctantly.”