News Release

Click here to go back to main News and Trends page >>

Ottawa, April 10, 2003

� Middle managers, once the victims of downsizing and restructuring, are now seen as essential to the success of organizations, The Conference Board of Canada says in a new report that examines the transformation of middle manager roles. "A decade ago, senior executives viewed middle managers poorly. They thought middle managers blocked change and prevented the transfer of authority to front-line employees," said Carolyn Farquhar, Director of Organizational Excellence. "A fundamental shift has occurred, and middle managers are now considered an essential link to making change throughout an organization, and a training ground for executives of the future." "Middle managers are pivotal to an organization�s success because they manage both people and results, and provide vital links throughout the organization, to its customers and suppliers." The report, Leading From the Middle: Managers Make the Difference, examines how leading organizations support middle managers. It identifies five emerging roles of middle managers: � executing strategy and delivering results; � leading, motivating, and inspiring people to perform exceptionally; � managing, developing, and retaining key talent; � building relationships and influencing others; and � building, leading, and participating in teams. A solid complement of middle managers enhances organizational structures. To meet future challenges, organizations need to clarify middle manager roles, promote learning and development for middle managers in the work environment, enhance their teamwork and communication skills, and address their challenges of work-life balance. Leading From the Middle is based upon in-depth study of four major Canadian organizations: Dofasco, Inc., TELUS Corporation, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and RBC Royal Bank, that have demonstrated commitment to building leadership and middle manager capacity. It examines how middle managers� roles have evolved since the Conference Board�s 1998 report, Middle Managers Are Back: How Companies Have Come to Value Their Middle Managers, which showed that organizations were focusing more attention on their middle management positions.

~For more information contact: Brent Dowdall, Media Relations, Tel: (613) 526-3090 ext. 448 e-mail: corpcomm@conferenceboard.ca~