You wanted the promotion.

Then you got it.

And suddenly, your success isn't measured only by what you can do anymore.

It's measured by what the people around you can do because you lead them.

Welcome to the third diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we’re talking about managing down — the part of mid-level leadership that requires you to move from being a high-performing individual to becoming responsible for the performance, growth and wellbeing of other people.

And that transition is not always as straightforward as it looks.

Because managing people means giving direction without micromanaging.

Holding people accountable without humiliating them.

Supporting your team without carrying their responsibilities for them.

Being approachable without becoming everyone's emotional dumping ground.

And sometimes, making decisions that people won't like.

The temptation in the middle is to become the manager you wish you had.

To protect your team from every difficult conversation.

To fix things yourself because it's faster.

To absorb pressure from above so your people don't have to feel it.

But leadership has a dangerous side:

If you keep rescuing people, you may eventually become the thing preventing them from growing.

Managing down isn't about having all the answers.

It's about creating an environment where people can do their best work, understand what is expected of them, take ownership, make mistakes, learn, and ultimately become less dependent on you.

And that requires something many new managers struggle with:

letting go.

You cannot develop people while doing everything for them.

You cannot build accountability while constantly making excuses for poor performance.

And you cannot lead sustainably if you are slowly losing yourself in the process of taking care of everyone else.

So where is the line between supporting your team and carrying your team?

When do you coach?

When do you correct?

When do you step in?

And when do you step back?

This diary entry is about learning that leadership is not about being needed for everything.

Sometimes, the greatest evidence that you're leading well is that your people can succeed without you standing over them.

If you've ever struggled with the difference between supporting your people and carrying them, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.


Hosted by Stella Uwaechue


Work. Leadership. Life.


Welcome to the sandwich stage. 🥪