Gopichand Katragadda is the former CTO of Tata Group and founder of AI company Myelin Foundry is driven to peel off known facts to discover unknown layers. He can be followed on X @Gkatragadda
Credit: DH Illustration
India’s corporate sector grapples with a unique challenge: a severe dearth of mid-level managers (MLM), a situation further complicated by employee expectations that often go beyond the traditional managerial role. These expectations encompass project oversight and development, personal mentorship, and involvement in conflict resolution, placing a significant burden on existing management resources.
My experiences across diverse organisational cultures, from the structured corridors of GE and Tata to the fluid dynamics of start-ups, have offered me a panoramic view of the evolving role of mid-level management in India’s corporate ecosystem. Indian organisations typically have significant entry-level hiring and need a programme manager or mentor for every seven employees to guide projects and support newcomers, a people manager for every 15 employees to oversee daily operations and team harmony, and a general manager for every seven teams, totalling 100-150 employees, mirroring the Dunbar limit. This tiered system ensures effective management, fosters community, and efficiently navigates the complexities of India’s younger workforce.
At GE, our introduction of a technical career path revealed many Indian employees’ preference for technical roles over managerial duties such as annual appraisals or funding intricacies, showing that not all aspire to be managers. I have observed across Indian MNCs a different risk -- that of becoming a ‘babu’ manager, emphasising the need for mid-level managers to evolve and continue to add hands-on value. As part of the start-up ecosystem, I recognise that the challenge for mid-level managers is to redefine leadership, foster innovation and agility by decoupling influence from traditional hierarchy, and create opportunities for driving change.
The Imperative for MLMs
Developing and empowering mid-level managers is critical across India’s corporate landscape. Their role, particularly in product companies, demands a nuanced understanding and a multifaceted approach to leadership that extends beyond conventional management paradigms. Critical for the mid-level manager’s success are:
1. Being a Talent Magnet: To attract employees, managers must have a reputation for innovation, leadership, and delivery. This is especially true in a start-up ecosystem, where the perceived security of a large company is not on offer.
2. Employee-First Approach: Drawing from the start-up ethos, where the lack of hierarchy requires direct engagement and innovation, it’s clear that prioritising employee success and engagement is key to fostering a culture of innovation.
3. Grooming Future Leaders: GE’s legacy of leadership development taught me the importance of identifying and nurturing future leaders. This is not just about succession planning but ensuring the organisation’s long-term vitality and competitiveness.
4. Managing Upwards and Downwards: In Indian MNCs, it is important to proactively manage one’s career to avoid becoming a ‘babu.’ Effective mid-level management means focusing on your team’s growth and success as the priority while also adeptly managing upward relationships.
5. Continued Hands-on Contributions: It remains vital for mid-level managers to keep their hands on the pulse of core technical or business areas. This hands-on engagement enhances their credibility among team members and keeps them grounded in the operational realities of their domains. This ensures managers maintain a sharp, front-line perspective, enabling them to make more informed decisions and inspire their teams by example.
6. Effective and Early Delegation: The essence of delegation lies in strategic empowerment, a lesson I learned through observing the hesitancy among technical experts at GE to transition into managerial roles. Effective leaders delegate not out of necessity but as a strategic tool to foster trust and nurture talent.
7. Proactive, Transparent Communication: Whether in the structured environment of large companies or the dynamic landscape of start-ups, the ability to transparently articulate strategy, expectations, and feedback is crucial for alignment and cohesion.
The landscape of mid-level management in India is transforming and is driven by changing workforce dynamics and organisational structures. A nuanced approach to leadership development would enable mid-level managers to transcend administrative roles and become strategic enablers capable of propelling India’s corporate sector towards innovation and growth.