The pressure of being “in the middle”
One of the biggest challenges I faced when I was in middle-management was the constant pull in different directions.
My boss pulled me one way, my team another, and, in some roles, the clients pulled in yet another direction.
All of them had seemingly conflicting priorities as to how I used my time, energy and attention.
And no matter how hard I worked, it never quite felt like enough.
If I focused on my team, I worried I was letting my boss down.
If I prioritised my boss, my team felt it.
And if I focused on clients, everything else slipped.
It was a constant juggle, AND a constant sense that something was about to drop.
When I was in my first senior role, I assumed this pressure was just part of the job. That this was what leadership looked like.
Looking back, I can see it was more than a workload problem. It was a clarity and capacity problem.
I wasn’t clear enough on what mattered most. And even if I had been, the expectations placed on me didn’t match the capacity I had to deliver.
So, I did what most people do in that situation:
I worked harder.
I stretched further.
I said yes waaaaay more often than I should have.
And I’ll give you one guess what happened. Yep. Hello burnout.
So often the way work is structured makes it almost impossible to succeed sustainably:
Unclear priorities.
Too much work for the time available.
Systems that rely on people pushing harder.
Leaders who are expected to hold it all together in the middle.
Which is why I’ve been developing a different way to think about performance at work.
One that doesn’t rely on people constantly stretching to keep up.
But instead focuses on five things that determine how we perform:
Clarity. Capacity. Capability. Confidence. Connection.
In the right order, these change everything.
You get clear on what matters.
You align the work to the capacity you have.
You build the systems and skills to deliver.
You back your judgement.
And you strengthen the relationships that make work easier.
Sustainable success isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters.
If you’re thinking about how to improve performance without increasing pressure, I’d love to have a conversation about what this could look like for your team or broader organisation.
Mel xx
P.S. Don't forget my survey for my book is still open - I'd love your input - here's the link: https://forms.gle/PMAbvWqKtdP7ZqYe7