Internal communication is an important part of any company, big or small. Though sometimes hard to navigate, poor internal communication can lead to a down spiral of issues, making it important for companies to get a grasp on strong communication strategies. For most businesses, communication starts with upper management and works its way down to lower and junior level employees. More often than not, upper management relays information to middle management, who then has a responsibility to relay it to the rest of the team. When information is not properly communicated, it can lead to a delay in projected timelines for work related tasks and responsibilities. This miscommunication can cause a lot of frustration for all team members, but especially middle managers.
The frozen middle is a term used to describe the role that middle managers play in a company. They’re responsible for carrying out initiatives and strategies passed down from upper level executives. When communication issues arise, it’s often because upper management did a poor job communicating. This causes a great deal of frustration to middle managers given the fact that responsibilities often fall on them.
If you feel like you’re stuck in the frozen middle, you may be feeling undervalued and unsupported in your role. Here are some important questions to ask yourself to determine if you’re stuck in this predicament:
- Is my voice being heard?
- Do I receive feedback if I’m not performing well?
- Was there a recent time I felt I contributed to the long term success of the company?
- Am I supported in my role?
If you answered yes to these questions and find yourself in the frozen middle, there are many ways you can help take the stress and frustration off of yourself and solve this issue once and for all. To learn more about how to combat this issue, JobHero created this visual guide that breaks down all you need to know about this management issue, as well as strategies you can take to thaw the frozen middle.
