Understand Why Middle Managers Face The Most Stress in The Workplace

Agile Leadership for Middle Managers: Insights from a Global Coach

Stanley Kan, a multi-talented professional juggling four different jobs and Dawn SG Budget Babe as our co-hosts, and Chuen Chuen Yeo, a self-proclaimed “Glo-cal Coach” (global and local coach) and author of the award-winning book “Leaders People Love.”

The Struggles of Middle Managers

Chuen Chuen kicks off the discussion by sharing insights from her survey, “Leaders Fever Love Global Survey.” The findings reveal that middle managers are often the most unhappy among management levels, feeling squeezed between the demands of their bosses and the expectations of their teams.

“For my survey, it does show that they are the most unhappy out of the management level,” Chuen Chuen notes. “And you can share that survey finding. It will help people feel validated. It’s a perspective lah. It’s not just me. If they feel bad, it’s not them.”

The Glo-cal Coach attributes this discontent to the significant pressure middle managers face, particularly those in the 43-and-above age group, who are tasked with leading in new, unfamiliar ways while still clinging to outdated leadership styles.

Three Traits of Loved Leaders

When asked to distill the characteristics of leaders people love to work with, Chuen Chuen offers three key traits:

1. Strengths-focused: Great leaders don’t try to turn their team members into mini versions of themselves. Instead, they appreciate and leverage each individual’s unique strengths and qualities.

2. Audience-centric communicators: Effective leaders aren’t just talkers; they’re connectors who understand their audience’s biases and perspectives. As Chuen Chuen explains, “Don’t be a person who talks and talks and talks and talk at your people, but connect with them.”

3. Lifelong learners: Inspiring leaders remain humble, curious, and open to learning from their team members, even those just entering the workforce. “If you’re a lifelong learner, and not just seeking knowledge, understanding other generations, understanding what definition of success is to them, then you can become a leader people love,” Chuen Chuen advises.

Letting People Go with Dignity

The conversation then turns to the difficult task of letting employees go, particularly in the wake of recent recessions and layoffs. Chuen Chuen emphasises the importance of helping departing team members find their next opportunity with dignity, even if it means opening doors outside the company.

“Open doors for people that you are forced to let go. Or open doors for people who are mismatched for your team. It actually helps a lot because it helps people move on with dignity, knowing that I’m not the right fit here, but I’m not lousy or worthless,” she advises.

Stanley echoes this sentiment, sharing how a friend of his, a business owner, actively sought out job opportunities for the team members he had to let go, forwarding their CVs to his network.

Defining Agile Leadership

As the conversation progresses, Chuen Chuen introduces the concept of “agile leadership,” which she defines as being “relevant and effective, regardless of context.”

“So I just ask leaders to think about two things. Are you relevant? Are you effective? For this particular context. Because it’s very common to see high-performing managers move from one company to the next. And then a total, they become total flops. Hmm. Lose relevancy,” she explains.

However, Chuen Chuen is quick to clarify that being an agile leader doesn’t mean constantly changing one’s authentic self. Instead, it involves flexibly adapting one’s approach while remaining grounded in core values and principles.

As the episode draws to a close, Chuen Chuen leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: “What troubled me was, you mean we just change according to the context? Then where is our sense of self and authenticity? So like Stanley, there’s still one Stanley, with four different facets.”

You can check their full interview on Wise & Shine, Episode 86 on Spotify, YouTube, Apple podcast for a candid insights and practical advice, this podcast episode is a must-listen for any leader, particularly those in middle management, seeking to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the modern workplace with agility, authenticity, and a people-first approach.