People are fascinated with the dynamics of power in organizations. They often focus on top leaders or how to deal with and motivate the more powerless workers. The reality is that most employees possess a middling amount of power and must repeatedly alternate between interacting with higher- and lower-power colleagues.
The experiences discussed in this article are prominent among middle managers. One colleague described this as the ultimate definition of crazy, “all of the responsibility with no authority.”
Source: Harvard Business Review, March 22, 2017.
Middle managers often find themselves stuck in between various stakeholder groups, which can produce relentless and conflicting demands. Vertical code-switching, as we call it, can take a toll, according to a wide body of research. On the emotional side, conflicting roles lead to increased feelings of stress and anxiety, reflecting the tension between incompatible social expectations. Physically, the high stress levels that accompany such conflicts are risk factors for a large number of health problems, from hypertension to heart disease. As if that weren’t enough, conflicting roles can disrupt cognitive performance and the ability to focus on a task without getting distracted.
INSIGHTS: Emotionally, conflicting roles lead to increased stress and anxiety, which reflects the tension between incompatible social expectations. Physically, the high stress levels that accompany these conflicts are risk factors for multiple health problems, from hypertension to heart disease. In addition, conflicting roles can disrupt cognitive performance and the ability to focus on a task.