The role of middle management in transformations – the backbone of the new organisation

Transformations do not only affect strategies or technologies – they change the entire organisation. New business models, agile methods and digitalisation require a reorganisation of structures, processes and responsibilities. Middle management is at the heart of this organisational change. Its task is to help shape the transformation of the organisational and operational structure and implement it in a stable manner.

Structural requirements for middle management

Every transformation begins with an analysis of the existing organisational structure. It often becomes apparent that traditional departmental structures, rigid reporting lines or outdated responsibility models are no longer suited to the new requirements. Middle management is called upon to actively establish these new structures and embed them in everyday work. In concrete terms, this means:

• Newly defined roles and interfaces must be created so that responsibilities are clearly defined and cooperation runs smoothly. It must be clearly defined who takes on tasks and makes decisions within a team or between departments.
• Reporting lines and escalation paths must be adapted to the new structures. Transformations often fail due to long decision-making processes or unclear responsibilities – a clear governance structure is essential.

Middle managers are not only responsible for restructuring existing teams, but also for integrating new units or roles (such as product owners and agile coaches) into the organisation and shaping collaboration across old departmental boundaries.

Control and adapt processes

Changes to organisational structures inevitably entail adjustments to process organisation. Processes designed for stable line organisations are not automatically suited to more agile, flexible structures.

Middle management takes on the task of controlling these new processes and ensuring that they remain manageable in day-to-day business. In concrete terms, this means:

• Document and analyse existing processes: Where are new processes emerging as a result of the transformation? Which existing processes need to be adapted or eliminated?
• Define new process responsibilities: Who controls the process? Where are approvals, releases or coordination required?
• Actively manage interfaces: Especially in hybrid organisations (a combination of classic and agile), managing interfaces is critical to success. Middle managers must ensure that handover, coordination and information flows work smoothly.

Only when processes are consistently operationalised – with clear responsibilities, defined outputs and measurable quality criteria – can transformation actually take effect in the organisation.

Taking responsibility for structural changes

Transformations give rise to new organisational structures. New teams are often formed, functions reassigned or projects reprioritised. Middle management is responsible not only for implementing these changes administratively, but also for shaping them. This means:

• Proactive shaping: Middle managers must not wait for new guidelines from senior management. They must independently adapt and develop structures based on the overarching strategy.
• Responsibility in phase transitions: Transformation phases rarely proceed in a linear fashion. Intermediate states arise in which old and new structures exist in parallel. Middle management must actively manage these phases and ensure that the organisation remains operational.
• Anchoring new responsibilities: New roles are only effective if they are actually lived. Middle managers must ensure that changes are not only visible in organisational charts, but are also reflected in daily practice.

Only when middle management sees responsibility as an opportunity to shape the future rather than a burden will transformation be sustainably anchored.

Middle management as a driver of process stability

Transformation inevitably means uncertainty: roles change, processes have to be relearned, and old routines lose their validity. In this phase, middle management takes on a central stabilising function. This includes:

• Early detection of disruptions: Change never runs completely smoothly. Middle managers must quickly identify operational difficulties (such as process bottlenecks or uncertainties regarding responsibilities) and take targeted countermeasures.
• Creating new routines: Processes only stabilise if they are consistently introduced and enforced. Middle managers ensure that new processes actually become the norm – through coaching, training and clear expectations of the teams.
• Balancing stability and adaptability: Transformation requires flexibility. Middle managers must therefore create an organisation that offers reliable processes while remaining open to necessary adjustments.

In transformation, stability does not mean standing still, but rather the ability to work reliably and efficiently even under changing conditions.

Our contribution: Targeted development of organisational management

We support companies in developing middle management as a driving force for the redesign of structures and processes. Our approach combines analysis, development and implementation:

• Structural analysis and role clarification: We analyse existing organisational structures, identify weaknesses and develop new role and responsibility models that make transformations viable.
• Process design and implementation: We work with middle management to design new processes – from process documentation and the definition of control parameters to practical implementation.

Competence development in middle management: Through workshops, coaching and sparring formats, we empower managers to actively assume their role as designers and stabilisers.

Organisational management in transformation is not a sure-fire success. It requires clear structures, efficient processes – and a middle management level that consciously designs and supports both.