Season 3 – Episode 025
Welcome to another episode of A Job Done Well, where Jimmy and James dissect the brutal reality of middle management—a role where you’re accountable for everything and in control of nothing. This week, they expose the absurdity of being the corporate shock absorber: squeezed between bosses who demand miracles and teams who resent you for failing to deliver them.
From the horror of “Project Hessian” (a type of sacking) to the farce of forced rankings, Jimmy and James share their war stories: translating mass culls into PowerPoint-friendly language, faking operational maturity scores, and watching as outsourcing contracts backfire spectacularly. They reveal why middle managers burn out faster than a fuse in a power surge—thanks to emotional whiplash, powerlessness, and the relentless pressure to keep everyone happy (hint: it’s impossible).
But it’s not all despair. The duo offers hard-won, practical advice: push back with facts, stop owning every problem, and—when all else fails—go for a bloody walk. And to senior managers listening: remember where you came from, or risk creating a “frozen middle” so disillusioned they’ll start gaming the system just to survive.
Five Key Points:
- Senior managers: your frozen middle remembers your hypocrisy. Set them up for success, or prepare for mutiny.
- Middle management is corporate purgatory: all accountability, no authority.
- Emotional labour is the real killer—translating “sackings” into “strategic realignment” will age you prematurely.
- Remember the “umbrella” analogy: you need to shield your team, but they need to know it is raining.
- Honesty is your best weapon. Admit when you’re powerless—your team (and your sanity) will thank you.
[00:08]
James: Hello, I’m James.
Jimmy: And I’m Jimmy. Welcome to A Job Done Well, the podcast that helps you improve your performance and enjoyment at work.
[00:20]
James: What are we talking about today?
Jimmy: Today, we’re talking about being stuck in the middle. Middle management—where you’re accountable for everything and in control of nothing. Pressure from above, expectations from your team, and nowhere to run. It’s a recipe for burnout.
[00:49]
James: It’s not just work. You’ve got a mortgage, kids, and time slipping away. I’ve been there. Go on, then—tell me more.
[01:05]
Jimmy: Do you remember the first time you felt caught between your team and your bosses, and everyone was unhappy with you?
James: Oh, several moments. The classic: “Project Hessian”—a reorg disguised as a sacking spree. Bosses want numbers cut, your team thinks you’re Satan, and you’re stuck. You can’t win.
[01:57]
Jimmy: I bet you’ve got more.
James: Forced rankings. You’re told to “manage the message” and “own the rankings,” but everyone knows it’s bollocks. How do you escape that?
[02:21]
Jimmy: Or closing a site. Bosses treat it like a numbers game, but you see the tears. It’s harder emotionally than senior roles, where you’ve got control.
[02:54]
James: And then there’s suppliers. I had a contract: volume minus 10%, 10% savings yearly. Then volume doubled, costs skyrocketed, and my boss refused to listen. You’re stuck.
[03:46]
Jimmy: My outsourcing nightmare: renegotiated a contract, halved costs, and the bosses turned around and said, “They’ve been milking us for years—go back and demand more!”
[04:27]
James: You just can’t win.
[04:35]
Jimmy: You’re the shock absorber—translating “money” for bosses into “people” for your team.
[04:46]
James: And the frontline? They care about customers, but bosses automate everything, making their jobs harder. You’re caught in the crossfire.
[06:10]
James: Bosses are all wankers. But I can say that—the sun’s out, and I’m in shadow.
[06:21]
Jimmy: We’ve all been guilty of it. But the higher you climb, the easier it gets to forget what it’s like down there.
[06:52]
James: So why does middle management feel impossible?
Jimmy: You’re accountable for performance but don’t control the factors. And you’re underappreciated—called the “frozen middle” or “marzipan layer.”
[11:08]
James: Or a “management topo.”
[11:23]
Jimmy: The lack of support—emotional, resources, air cover—is staggering. You’re the punch bag for everyone.
[11:42]
James: And the language! “Frozen middle,” “marzipan layer”—it’s all code for “obstacle.”
[12:15]
Jimmy: Senior managers think if the middle just “translated better,” everything would be fine. But it’s not that simple.
[12:23]
James: You get it from both sides. Your team sees you swanning around in a company car while they’re grinding.
[13:38]
Jimmy: It’s quickly forgotten what it was like. I’ve been in boards where I thought, “If I were junior here, I’d quit.”
[14:27]
James: It’s like the monkey tree. At the top, you see smiling faces. At the bottom, you see arseholes.
[14:40]
Jimmy: No wonder managers burn out more than non-managers.
[15:00]
James: Is that a real stat?
Jimmy: CIPD survey. So, what drives burnout?
[15:14]
James: Emotional pressure. Translating people into numbers. Like post-COVID WFH policies: “Come back or you’re sacked.” But what if someone’s got a disabled kid?
[16:02]
Jimmy: You carry all the emotion—from above and below. And the lack of control? That’s powerlessness.
[16:36]
James: And the mental gymnastics: one minute it’s strategy, the next it’s holiday approvals.
[17:13]
Jimmy: It’s not the hours—it’s the emotional load.
[17:27]
James: It’s like juggling plates, but your boss won’t buy plastic ones.
[17:33]
Jimmy: And managers make it worse: trying to keep everyone happy, not pushing back, and manufacturing stats.
[18:16]
James: Like my “operational maturity matrix” fiasco. I faked 87% to keep my boss happy. Everyone knew it was bullshit.
[19:41]
Jimmy: The “umbrella” analogy—protecting your team from everything—is a trap. They need to know it’s raining.
[20:56]
James: Honesty is key. “We’ve been asked to do this. I don’t like it, but we’re doing it.”
[21:08]
Jimmy: And stop wasting energy on stories. Focus on delivery.
[21:24]
James: So how do you release the pressure?
[22:03]
Jimmy: Shift your mindset: you’re not here to make everyone happy, you’re here to make things work. Push back with facts. Negotiate what success looks like.
[22:57]
James: Be honest with your team. “We’re doing this because I’ll lose my job if we don’t.”
[23:32]
Jimmy: Clarify non-negotiables. “We’re doing this training—no debate.”
[24:24]
James: Be clear about what you’ll let slide. Prioritise what matters.
[25:17]
Jimmy: Don’t own every problem. And create space—improve systems, chip away at inefficiencies.
[26:16]
James: Look after yourself first. Like airplane masks—you can’t help others if you’re passed out.
[26:56]
Jimmy: So, key takeaways: if it feels tough, it’s not just you. Manage expectations, push back, and go for a walk.
[27:49]
James: And senior managers—have some empathy. You were there once.
[28:07]
Jimmy: Are you setting your middle up for success?
[28:11]
James: We’ll put that to bed. Easter next week—no episode.
[28:23]
Jimmy: Thanks, everyone. See you soon.
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