Leading from the Middle - Introducing the Playbook

Dear Reader

In my last post I introduced the concept of mid-level leadership — something I’ve been exploring for over a decade — and a ‘playbook’ that fills the gap in leadership thinking.

Transformative potential

Mid level leaders face a barrage of challenges to navigate, in a specific gap between strategy and execution. Each scenario requires a fairly unique solution, navigating conflicting interests and compromise of some sort. It can be draining work — but it also holds the potential to be truly transformative.

Key to the value mid-level leaders hold is their unique view into ‘stuck in the middle challenges’, and the ability to bring together everyone involved.

To create transformation, leaders need a way to find the best outcome for everyone, and an approach that supports curiosity and learning.

This playbook is the result of years of leading and coaching mid-level leaders. It’s not a ‘plug-and-play formula’, but rather a cohesive way to respond to the different kinds of challenges we face.

Leading from the middle - playbook steps

There are four concrete steps, with a number of methods or ‘cards we can play’ in each section, making space for mid-level leaders to identify where their existing tools and methods fit — and be intentional about expanding their skill set effectively.

1. Identify our agency​
   The first step is to review which aspects in the decision context we have authority or influence over, and how we can respond when we have neither.
2. Visualise the context​
   To clarify our concerns, we next need to take a deeper, visual exploration of the context, mapping different causes and potential impacts of the decision.
3. Choose our leadership approach
   ​How we engage will affect the extent to which others can participate in resolving the challenge. Exploring which leadership approaches fit the complexity and opportunity for learning can help us succeed inclusively.
4. Engage productively
   ​Once we get to discussion, we need to be equipped to explore a few potential solutions, and make space to address unmet needs.

Some steps can be completed independently, and occasionally that may make sense, but the more relevant perspectives we can include, the more fitting and complete the response can be.

In the next few posts, I’ll be unpacking different parts of how and why each step supports Leading from the Middle, and the ‘cards’ I like to work with.

Cara Turner Innovation & Agile Coach M: +27 84 500 4425 ​E: coach@caraturner.com | www.caraturner.com​

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