Middle managers in local government occupy one of the most influential spaces in the organisation.
You’re close enough to understand the reality of frontline delivery, but connected enough to senior leaders to shape direction, priorities and culture.
Leading from the middle is about:
- Turning strategy into action.
- Making sense of complexity for your team.
- Influencing upwards, sideways, and downwards – without relying only on formal authority.
In councils, this role is especially important because leadership rarely happens in a straight line.
Priorities are shaped by elected members, statutory duties, budget pressures, resident needs, inspection regimes, organisational change, and partnership working across place.
Middle managers must often hold these tensions while keeping people motivated, focused and supported.
What makes leading from the middle different?
| Pressure | Leadership opportunity |
| Strategy above – Delivery below | Translate big priorities into meaningful, practical work for your team. |
| Limited authority – High responsibility | Build influence through trust, credibility, relationships, and good judgement. |
| Political and organisational complexity | Read the context, understand stakeholders, and connect decisions to public value. |
| Change fatigue and resource pressure | Create clarity, protect energy, and help people see what matters most. |
5 practices of effective middle leadership
- Make sense of strategy
Help your team understand not just what is changing, but why it matters for residents, communities and colleagues. - Influence in all directions
Manage upwards (with evidence and solutions), work sideways (across services) and lead your team with clarity and compassion. - Hold the tension
Acknowledge uncertainty honestly while helping people focus on what they can control. - Connect silos
Look for the shared outcome across housing, customer services, digital, finance, HR, social care, partners and community organisations. - Model the culture
Your everyday behaviours, how you listen, prioritise, respond to pressure, and handle mistakes, tell people what is really valued.
These are the topics I’ll explore in our refreshed and updated Socitm Top Talent course.
The next (and final 2026) dates to start the Top Talent course are Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October in Durham. And back in Durham again for the final session and project presentation on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 December.
What else is the Top Talent course about?
- It encourages you to focus on your unique qualities, develop confidence in your abilities, and to create impact through action.
- It’s a collaborative experience. You’ll be able to share ideas, insight and inspiration with your peers.
- You’ll benefit from tailored one-to-one coaching and undertake a group challenge as a cohort.
Using models, tools and case studies, you’ll work together to creatively devise dynamic solutions to real-life challenges (often set by third-party organisations) who recognise the calibre of our Top Talent groups. - It concludes with a presentation at one of our events. This is when you’ll join your group to present your research and conclusions to our delegates.
It’ll help you to:
- Become a more confident, effective and inspirational leader
- Identify and develop your unique leadership qualities
- Fulfil your ambitions and realise your career vision more quickly and fervently.
You might also like to read or come along to:
💻 Webinar: Friday 2 October | 13:00 to 14:00: How Belbin Team Roles can support successful LGR
👤 Ben Marston’s [Director of ICT and Digital Innovation at Sheffield City Council] reflections on the impact of Top Talent course, and how he’s embedding them across his team: Maximising Socitm’s Leadership Academy – an interview with Ben Marston
🎓If Top Talent’s not quite right for you, find your next personal development course with the Leadership Academy
