The Quest for National Middle Manager Appreciation Day
News comes in themed bunches these days, and it all seems to indicate that Middle Managers are becoming a rarer species, and it seems to be self selected. Looks like you and I are the last people in the world who want to be managers. We’re going to change that.
I had no just finished my latest article for Management Issues, referring to an article I’d read about how people were not applying for management jobs because promotion was more stressful than divorce or raising teenage kids. (Come on, I complain about my job but i’ve been divorced, and I have a teenager and even I’m not THAT whiney!) when along came this this article about how the US is facing a chronic shortage of Middle Managers.
The author, Josh Bersin, has already agreed to an interview, watch for it next month.
Meanwhile, this seems to be a hot topic of conversation. Check out this blog post from future guest Steve Roesler.
I have a theory (you’ll be shocked to discover). It’s the phrase; Middle Manager is a perjorative. Dilbert’s pointy-haired boss. Ricky Gervais (or Steve Carrell depending which side of the Atlantic you’re on) are middle managers. More people ask me why I refer to myself as a middle manager than why I say I’m cranky. To too many people, Middle Manager is not a job title, it’s a punchline.
We here at The Cranky Middle Manager henceforth reclaim the once-proud title of Middle Manager. To paraphrase James Brown, “Say it loud, I’m Middle Management and I’m proud”. Alright you can’t dance to it, but this is about work- dance on your own darned time.
Thus begins my campaign to have the US declare a National Middle Managers Appreciation Day. If anyone knows the process to get national proclamations made, let me know. Meanwhile for those of you overseas…. let’s start a movement. Wouldn’t you love to see National Middle Manager’s Appreciation day in Australia? How about Middle Managers recognized by Her Majesty in the country where Middle Management angst is something of a national symbol?
When I get the proclamation written I’ll post it and you can pass it on to your senator, MP, or whoever runs things where you live.
Let’s get one stinking day to ourselves!
May 21st, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Looking forward to the show, Wayne.
In the meantime I’ve contacted our senator’s office about the special day. He assured me that he has always been a strong supporter of middle managers and believes that they are part of what made this country great.
While he also stated that lower and upper managers have made significant contributions–especially to his last campaign– he was moved by the way that Middle Managers left their homelands and came on the Nina, Pinta, Mayflower, and Lufthansa to settle the New World.
Will stay on top of his activity as things unfold…
May 28th, 2007 at 12:30 am
You guys are too much! I’m in for the holiday — and I suspect you can pull it off! Thanks for the terrific post Wayne!
June 2nd, 2007 at 9:00 am
[...] 0:00 Welcome to the show, Campaign Headquarters for the Drive to Proclaim National Middle Manager Appreciation Day. A lot of you tell me the things you find most valuable is to hear from other real-life managers and lay off the consultants. So there you go. [...]
June 16th, 2007 at 5:47 am
Wayne, this is a cause we can all get behind. It’s a great way to recognize under-appreciated professionals, and could help mitigate a problem that, given U.S. demographics, can only get worse. I’ve put in my two cents at http://blog.strategicplanningassociates.com/2007/06/12/national-middlemanager-day.aspx