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The best in the middle aren't just tacticians, they also play an active strategic role. No one is closer to changing market dynamics, has more access to new information coming in, or has a closer pulse on what the organization would rally behind. So often I hear, “Strategic thinking is the last thing I have time for” from middle managers. But it should be the first thing you make time for as it impacts every other role you play.

The Role Play: Toggle between the three strategy jobs to do (many mid‐level managers stop at the first job). First, cascade top‐down strategies to fully implement top management's intentions. Start by fully understanding the strategies, then share perspective to gain commitment when converting the strategies into operational tactics. Second, shape top‐down strategies in advance by analyzing information available to you, assessing opportunities and threats, and sharing your perspective and recommendations with decision makers above you. Finally, champion “on the ground” strategies, ones that you and your team create and implement given what you know by being closest to customers, consumers, and competitors. This last strategy job to do is the most often missed or underserved, which is a travesty, as one study showed that a whopping 80 percent of strategic projects initiated by top management failed while 80 percent of those initiated by mid‐level managers succeeded.¹¹