The Middle Management Hell

They are the punching bags of the corporate world: Middle Managers. Squeezed between demanding executives above and dissatisfied teams below, they have all the responsibility but none of the authority. Organizational consultant Gordon Miller defends this maligned group in "The Middle Management Hell." Miller analyzes the structural impossibility of the role. Middle managers are expected to translate vague strategy into concrete action, enforce unpopular policies, and act as therapists for their staff, all while their own career progression is stalled. The book offers a survival guide. Miller teaches strategies for "managing up" to get resources, "managing down" to protect the team from corporate chaos, and "managing sideways" to build alliances. He argues that middle management is where the actual work gets done and calls for a re-evaluation of how companies support these essential connectors.