Change in universities often fails at the middle management layer. Here’s why coherence breaks down and what to do about it.
Same change. Two messages. Total confusion.
A comment on one of my recent LinkedIn posts about managers in Higher Education really stuck with me:
“At the top, comms start as one stream. But by the time they reach managers, they split – one message for academics, another for professional services.”
And that’s exactly the problem.
Middle managers are stuck translating fractured, incomplete or conflicting messages. They’re expected to deliver strategy without the tools, context or shared understanding to make it a success.
This isn’t just a communication issue. It’s a coherence issue. And it’s one of the key reasons change fails to stick in universities.
Why coherence breaks down
Siloes. Academics and professional services teams work to different rhythms, values and pressures. Same message lands very differently depending on where you are standing.
No integration. Managers are asked to execute strategy they weren’t involved in shaping. They’re often the last to hear about the plan – and first to be held accountable if it falters.
One-way comms. We over-index on announcements, briefings and cascades. But coherence needs conversation not just information. Strategy isn’t coherent until everyone understand the why – not just the what and how.
Middle managers – the missing bridge
Managers, especially in professional services – are the glue. But they’re often under-supported and overloaded. Caught between delivering change and absorbing the fallout, with very little real space to lead.
We don’t fail because our people are resisting change. We fail because we don’t design the support into the messy middle.
So what do we do?
Here are four things that actually help:
- Shared context. Everyone – academic, professional services – needs to understand the ‘why’ behind the change. Not just their bit of it.
- Joint leadership spaces. Create space for leaders to align before change hits delivery.
- Equip managers to lead. They need tools to lead through ambiguity, navigate tensions and hols pace for their teams, especially when things are unclear.
- Use tools to create clarity. Service maps, RACI charts, decision frameworks – anything that brings visibility to who’s doing what, and why.
Want to support your managers?
That’s exactly why I built Managing teams through change – a practical programme for HE managers navigating the real-life complexity of delivering change.
It’s grounded in tools, not just theory.
Built for people doing the work – not just designing the PowerPoint slides
Designed to plug into your existing support – not add extra fluff
We’re currently offering a pilot version for institutions who want to test it with a small cohort. Low lift, high value, real results.
Want to chat about it? Drop me a message here.
