Middle managers are meant to serve as an intermediary for leadership teams and individual contributors. But in large organizations, with many layers of hierarchy, some of these roles feel like bureaucratic bloat, which, in tighter economic times, makes them a target for elimination. Emily Field, a partner at McKinsey & Company, thinks in many cases that is wrong. He argues that most middle managers are critical to corporate performance and productivity, executive team insight, and employee well-being. The key is to make sure their roles fit the times. Field is the co-author, with Bryan Hancock and Bill Schaninger, of the HBR article “Don’t Get Rid of Your Middle Managers,” as well as the book Power in the Middle: Why Managers Hold the Keys to the Future of Work.
