Developing mid-level managers is essential — but often overlooked

Investing in leadership training is common for companies of all sizes, from a 10-person firm to a Fortune 500 company. Capable and effective leadership, after all, is essential to a company’s success. Training up entry-level employees is a common occurrence for most companies as well. But what about the middle? Too often—and especially in family-owned and closely-held companies—training and development for middle managers is ignored. 

But companies who ignore this crucial position do so at their own peril. 

The mid-level manager is often the crux of an organization. They have significant influence, managing down to their team to ensure operations go smoothly, and managing up to leadership. A good (or bad) manager is often the reason employees cite when they decide to stay with the company or leave for greener pastures. It’s an incredibly important position but can also be a frustrating one. Middle managers lack the power that leadership holds yet share the same frustrations. Tasked with communicating with both leadership and their team, middle managers occupy what is arguably one of the most important positions in the organization. They are close to the machinations of the business and the larger strategic decisions that drive it. Despite these realities, middle managers tend to be some of the most undervalued people in an organization—and this is never truer than in a family-owned business.