Strong middle leaders are the canals that carry strategy, coaching, and leadership development throughout an AEC firm.
Several years ago, I visited an agricultural region that relied on a large reservoir and an extensive network of irrigation canals. The reservoir was impressive. It stretched for thousands of feet and held enough water to support hundreds of acres of farmland.
As we drove through the area, something seemed odd. Some fields were healthy and green. Others looked stressed. A few were struggling altogether. The reservoir was completely full. Everything seemed to be in place for a successful harvest.
The problem wasn't the reservoir. As we looked closer, the issue became obvious. Some of the canals that carried water from the reservoir to the fields had become clogged with sediment and vegetation. In some places, the water barely trickled through. In others, it never reached the fields at all. The reservoir held all the water the farmers needed. It just wasn't getting where it was needed most.
Why do I care about irrigation? Because I see the same clogged canals in many organizations. Senior leaders spend significant time developing strategy, setting direction, and communicating priorities. They hold strategic planning sessions, attend leadership retreats, conduct town halls, and host company-wide webinars. The reservoir is full.
Yet employees often struggle to answer simple questions: What does this strategy mean for my team? How does it affect our clients? What should I be doing differently, and why does it matter?
The issue is rarely a lack of strategy. The issue is often the absence of the conversations needed to carry that strategy throughout the organization. The canals have been neglected.
Why middle leaders are critical to strategy execution
Here is where the middle resides. “The middle” is the gap between leadership’s vision and strategy, and the company’s execution. And leaders here serve a critical purpose. These project managers, office leaders, and supervisors help translate strategy into action. They answer questions, provide context, reinforce priorities, and help employees understand how broad organizational goals connect to their daily work.
A company-wide presentation may communicate the strategy. Middle leaders help people understand what that means for them. Without that translation, strategy often remains exactly where it started – a presentation.
I learned this lesson firsthand. Early in my career, our firm was relatively small and flat. We didn't need many layers of leadership. If I wanted to explain a new initiative, discuss a project challenge, or mentor a young engineer, I could simply walk down the hall and have a conversation. Those conversations were personal, relevant, and often happened in real time.
As the company grew, however, something changed. The number of people looking to me for guidance grew faster than my ability to provide it. Instead of individual conversations, I increasingly found myself communicating through staff meetings and company-wide presentations. Information was still being shared, but something important was being lost. The messages became broader. The conversations became less personal. And there were fewer opportunities for coaching and development. Looking back, I realize I made a mistake.
I spent too much time trying to remain one of the primary conduits for information and guidance. What I should have done was spend more time developing other leaders who could mentor, coach, and communicate within their own teams. The reservoir had grown. The canals had not.
How middle leaders strengthen leadership development
Unfortunately, this issue extends beyond strategy implementation. The same canals that carry information throughout an organization also carry leadership. When young professionals talk about career development, they rarely ask for another webinar or training presentation. More often, they want feedback. They want coaching. They want someone to explain why a decision was made. They want opportunities to stretch their abilities while knowing someone is available to guide them when challenges arise. In most organizations, those experiences come from direct supervisors and middle leaders.
Leadership is learned in the relationships – through observation, coaching, and occasional course corrections. But many middle leaders can’t find time for those activities. They are responding to clients, reviewing deliverables, and fighting daily fires. Leadership development becomes something they intend to do when things slow down. And things rarely slow down.
What also concerns me is that many middle leaders are not themselves being developed. Senior leaders often expect middle managers to execute strategy, mentor employees, and prepare future leaders. Yet many of those same managers receive very little coaching on how to perform those responsibilities. Discussions often focus on project status, financial performance, and workload management rather than leadership development. We expect them to develop others without adequately investing in their own development. A neglected canal cannot effectively deliver water downstream.
The result is predictable. Employees feel disconnected from the company's direction. Young professionals struggle to find mentors. Leadership pipelines are weak. Succession planning becomes more difficult. Senior leaders become frustrated when strategy isn't implemented consistently. The fields begin to dry out.
How firms can strengthen the leadership pipeline
So, what can organizations do?
- Walk the canals. Don’t assume strategy is flowing simply because it was announced. Ask middle leaders what questions their teams are raising and what obstacles they face. Coach them on leadership, not just project delivery.
- Open the canals up. Mentoring and coaching cannot be treated as extracurricular activities. If every hour is consumed by project delivery, leadership development will always lose.
- Measure it. Most firms track revenue, utilization, and backlog with discipline. How often do they discuss succession readiness or coaching effectiveness? People pay attention to what gets measured.
When fields begin to struggle, the wise farmer doesn't simply add more water to the reservoir. He removes obstacles from the canals. He repairs weak sections. He strengthens the paths that carry water throughout the farm. Organizations are no different.
Senior leaders naturally spend time focused on the reservoir – strategy, vision, and growth. Those things matter. But strategy only creates value when it reaches the people doing the work. Leadership only multiplies when it is passed from one level to the next. That happens in the communication canals. And if we want stronger execution, better employee engagement, and a deeper leadership bench, we may need to spend less time filling the reservoir and more time maintaining the canals.
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Greg Sepeda is a former engineering manager and is currently rewired as a management consultant. Connect with him on LinkedIn. |
