Leading From the Middle with Jenny Chudy
In this episode, we dive deep into the unique challenges and rewards of leading from the middle, exploring key insights with our guest, Jenny Chudy. Together, we discuss the "sandwich" position between executive leadership and the front lines, sharing real-world experiences, a five-component framework for effective middle management, and actionable takeaways for thriving in this crucial role.
Key Topics Discussed
The Nuance of Middle Management Leadership
Jenny describes upper middle management as "where leadership gets real". It's a challenging role that involves overseeing multiple teams and projects, often a full department. Unlike early-stage leadership where focus is on a small team, this level requires a broader perspective, engaging with multiple teams and projects.
"You're helping some of your peers with their careers because it's such a cross collaboration between different areas that I just feel like it's a really great seat and... I feel like it's not always given the love that I think it deserves."
The Five Components of Effective Middle Management
Jenny outlines five crucial components for well-rounded leadership in the middle: operational, relational, strategic, reflective, and personal. The operational aspect, focusing on day-to-day problem-solving, is often the most comfortable for people. The relational piece involves connecting with those above, beside, and below you, understanding their unpredictable nature and diverse motivations.
"I think everybody likes to say that they're adaptable. But everybody is [only adaptable] to a certain degree."
Translating Between Personal and Business Motivations
Middle managers often find themselves balancing personal motivations of frontline teams with the business objectives of executives. This involves making the implicit explicit for teams who weren't part of gradual decision-making processes. Jenny shares an experience of translating a difficult layoff decision into human terms, emphasizing the long-term survival of the company over immediate personal impact.
"It's easier when you have a lot of trust in the folks that are making those decisions."
Memorable Quotes
"I feel like where leadership gets real."
"You have to think about the personal motivations of versus the business motivations and the higher up you go the more that weight changes."
"If you mess up, you have to have that psychological safety, which unfortunately not everybody has."
Takeaways
Embrace the Translator Role: Successfully bridge the gap between executive strategy and frontline operations by making implicit decisions explicit and advocating upwards for resources and needs.
Balance the Five Pillars: Don't overcompensate in one area; strive for a balanced approach across operational, relational, strategic, reflective, and personal aspects of leadership.
Cultivate a Learning Mindset: Be open to learning and continuously ask, "But what if I'm wrong?" to encourage nuanced and thoughtful decision-making, even if it means acknowledging mistakes.
