The frozen middle
Bite sized leadership advice
Leadership is only effective for two levels known as Boss Squared.
We are motivated to please our Boss, in return they keep us, and the tribe ‘safe’. A simple concept.
To please my boss I adopt their priorites, copy their behaviour and respond to what is important to them. Simple stuff.
But I am not naive. Like a weather forecast I look beyond my Boss to their Boss, known as Boss Squared. Think of this as an early warning sign that change is coming. My Boss will be influenced by their Boss.
The influence goes no further.
That is it. Two levels.
When your CEO stands on the stage and pronounces change, expecting it to magically happen. It doesn’t. The best they can hope for is awareness.
Behavioural change only happens when your Boss, or your Bosses Boss start doing things differently.
The failure to cascasde and engage the middle leadership layers is called the ‘Frozen middle’. A group of leaders who are often seen as being blockers to change. They aren’t, they just aren’t connected the change; the CEO just stood up in front of everyone, what do they need to do?
If you are a change agent .. watch out for the frozen middle by ensuring that every second layer of leadership are effective leaders who are clear on what they need to do differently.
Some practical advice
- When you take on an assignment, start with a role map. Map the change targets, then work your way up the structure noting each two layers until you get to the sponsor of the change.
- Have a leadership plan, with explicit actions that cascades every two layers
- Coach (senior) leaders on the limit of their effectiveness
- Recognise that all-hands, or town hall meetings will *only* achieve awareness. They are not the magic touch, just the opening ‘hello’.
This is part of our Leadership Wizdom series, bite sized leadership advice for leaders who wish to improve their leadership, but don’t have much time. For more indepth articles check out The Change Wizard.
We coach leaders and help their organisations become more adaptable at www.thechangewizard.com
