The Overlooked Role of Middle Managers in Change Success

When organisations embark on change, whether it is digital transformation, restructuring, or a shift in culture, attention naturally focuses on top executives. They are seen as the strategists and visionaries. Yet the real success or failure of any change often rests on a far less celebrated group. The middle managers. 

Author and Inspirational speaker, Simon Sinek, often says that being a middle manager is one of the hardest jobs. They stand at the crossroads of expectations. They must manage their teams, drive performance and maintain morale, while also responding to top management that is more strategic in its focus. Despite this demanding responsibility, most middle managers receive little or no formal training. They teach themselves by reading books, attending conferences and learning through trial and error. 

Meanwhile, top leadership in many organisations remains focused primarily on quarterly results. The development of the middle layer rarely becomes a priority. As a result, the role of middle managers in change success is overlooked, even though they are the individuals who bring change to life. They are the true heroes of transformation. They are the people who convert new strategies into everyday behaviours, and who also act as the reverse messengers when something that looks good on a slide does not work on the ground. 

Why Middle Managers Are Critical to Change 

Bridging Strategy and Execution 

By design, middle managers sit between strategic leadership and frontline employees. Their role is to translate high-level visions into practical work.  

Without middle managers, even the most intelligent strategies remain abstract and detached from day-to-day execution. 

Building Trust and Driving Engagement 

A study on change management found that when change was delivered through middle managers, employee acceptance increased significantly compared to top-led change alone. Reference: Middle managers, the unsung heroes of organisational change 

This happens because middle managers understand the realities of daily operations and the challenges that teams face. They share a closer emotional and practical connection with employees. They are the people who can explain, reassure and respond to concerns in real time. In many organisations, middle managers become the human face of change. They are the voice that teams trust more than formal announcements. 

Sustaining Change Beyond the Launch Moment 

Announcing a change is easy. Sustaining it is difficult. Middle managers are the individuals who reinforce new behaviours, coach teams, review adoption and ensure that the change becomes part of the culture. 

Research also shows that middle managers hold valuable informal knowledge about team motivations and organisational culture, which helps them drive sustainable transformation. 

The Reality: Middle Managers Are Overburdened and Under Supported 

Despite their importance, many middle managers receive insufficient support. A McKinsey analysis found that they are often overburdened by administrative work and meetings, which stops them from focusing on people and culture. Reference: Middle management: A precious but wasted resource | McKinsey 

Further research shows that: 

• Only about 20 per cent of middle managers strongly agree that their organisation provides the support they need to succeed. 

• Many report receiving little or no training in leadership or management skills. Simon Sinek highlights that 57 per cent of middle managers globally report missing essential leadership skills because their companies do not offer structured training. Reference: The 3 Skills 57% of Middle Managers Are Desperately Missing - Simon Sinek 

• A lack of middle manager commitment is a major reason for failed change programmes. This is not only unfair to the managers. It materially affects business outcomes. When middle managers lack clarity or skills, change efforts become fragile. 

Indian Case Study: How a Middle Manager Led Change Determined Success 

Case: A Large Indian Bank Reinventing Its Customer Service Model 

A major Indian private sector bank (name withheld for confidentiality) launched a transformation programme focused on improving customer experience across its 4,500 branches. The top leadership introduced new digital workflows and service protocols, expecting a rapid shift in behaviour. 

However, the initial rollout struggled. Frontline employees found the new procedures confusing and time-consuming. Customers complained, and adoption numbers dropped. 

The turning point came when a group of middle managers, primarily regional and cluster heads, raised concerns through structured feedback channels. They explained that the training materials did not reflect real branch conditions, and that the workflow required adjustments to local customer behaviour. 

The leadership team listened. A cross-functional group of middle managers was formed to redesign the process. They: 

1. Rewrote communication scripts in simpler language 

2. Suggested practical modifications to the digital interface 

3. Played a key role in testing the new process in pilot branches 

4. Trained other managers through peer-led workshops 

Within four months, customer satisfaction scores increased, adoption stabilised, and the bank’s new model became a national standard within the organisation. 

The programme succeeded not because of the original strategy, but because middle managers acted as translators, problem solvers and realistic champions of the new behaviour. Without their involvement, the change would have failed quietly at the branch level. 

What Organisations Need to Change 

1. Provide structured development for middle managers. When companies invest in formal training, retention and effectiveness improve. 

2. Reduce unnecessary bureaucracy Middle managers need time to lead. Not just to attend meetings. 

3. Include them early in shaping the strategy. When middle managers co-create change, employees support it more strongly. 

4. Recognise their contribution Acknowledgement builds commitment and creates a culture of shared leadership. 

5. Treat people management as a professional skill. Managing teams and leading change requires training and clarity, not just a promotion. 

Conclusion 

In the busy corridors of organisational life, it is easy to celebrate vision and strategy while overlooking the individuals who carry the weight of execution. Middle managers stand between ambition and action. They communicate change, challenge plans that do not work, motivate teams, solve problems and sustain improvements long after the spotlight moves on. 

At Concordia Solutions, we believe that change lives or dies in the middle layer. When organisations invest in the growth and capability of their middle managers, they do not just strengthen leadership. They strengthen the entire system. 

Middle managers are not just implementers. They are connectors, advocates, translators and stewards of progress. They are the quiet heroes of change.