House of Agile Middle Management

House of Agile Middle

Management

September 2016

Drs. Freek Hermkens CMC

Working Draft

When we talk about … middle manager

“Any manager two levels below the CEO and one level

above line managers” (Huy 2001, pp. 73).

Can be broadly defined as managers holding positions

between the first level supervisors and the level of

executives, below those who have company wide

responsibilities (Herzing and Jimmieson 2006, pp. 628).

The middle manager stands in a unique organizational

position. They are close to the daily operations but far

enough away to see the bigger picture (Huy 2001).

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Middle Management

• Their unique position between operational and upper

management and knowledge about what motivates

employees in their unit/department allows middle managers to

enhance the chances of realizing change.

• Drawing on an analogy with baseball, middle managers are

typically expected to be able to hit, field and pitch at the same

time.

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House of Agile Middle Management

© Freek Hermkens (2016)

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Wondering

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Balcony and Dance

• „Leadership is both active and reflective.

One must alternate between participating and observing.

• „Take perspective

• „Develop capacity to distinguish the patterns

• �Don’t be swept away by the music!

(Heifetz, 1994)

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Middle management in the Bermuda triangle

© Freek Hermkens (2014)

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The demanding playing field of middle

management

© Freek Hermkens (2014)

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C4 and D3

• Communicate

• Coach

• Control

• Compliment

• Define

• To Do

• Delegate

© Freek Hermkens (2016)

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Management by walking Around

A desk is a dangerous place from which to view this world

Bron: John Le Carre

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Tinker Time

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For more information

Freek Hermkens

F.J.A.hermkens@tue.nl

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