I find the great thing in this world is, not where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Writer
I don’t know if the middle manager will disappear as many work gurus predict. But, I do know that things are changing for these folks.
Someone or some group has to monitor and control workflow. In the hierarchal and function driven organization, we knew it was the middle manager. However, if work becomes core processed and projectized then we need another person to assign, monitor, lead, and tweak processes and projects. This person in a matrixed organization may be the manager who ensures an organization’s core process improves but also project manages non-core special projects.
The project manager as middle manager makes sense. The virtual organization is composed of executives, professionals, administrative personnel, cross-functional professional teams, and self-managed line teams. Some groups must link and align the corporate vision and the direction of multiple teams, resolve conflicts among stakeholders, smooth end-to-end processes, coordinate special projects, and consolidate internal/external organizational systems. Without functional middle managers, project leaders or managers serve as the linkages in the matrixed organization. Or in other words, the project leader evolves into managing an organization’s white spaces.
Life Lesson Earned: Everyone should in their career should take on several critical tasks: 1. Become a project manager and 2. Run a profit/loss shop. Both experiences mature a person and ensure they add more value.