Manage Up. Lead Down. Thrive in Tension.
Leaders are no longer confined to traditional roles. Mid-level managers are expected to lead teams with confidence while simultaneously executing directives from above. The result? A constant state of tension.
Few leaders routinely experience the level of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity faced by US Navy SEALs. Yet, the tensions that SEALs concurrently deal with as leaders and followers are remarkably familiar to frontline and middle managers across civilian industries and organizations. This tension is an inherent byproduct of the dual roles they must fulfill concurrently as leader and follower, amplified by the increasingly turbulent environment.
As such, frontline and middle managers, hereafter collectively referred to as “mid-level managers,” must regularly employ a unique set of behaviors, known as “tolerance of tension,” to achieve sustained success.
To illustrate and explore these tensions more deeply, this article will leverage real-life examples from the career and working relationships of Rob and Matt (pseudonyms), Navy SEALs.
Using the lessons derived from elite servicemembers, learn to embrace the stress of dual responsibility, manage up and down the chain of command, and still drive results. Drawing from military operations and business case studies, we break down why building tolerance for this tension isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.
This whitepaper explores:
- Why mid-level leaders feel stretched between competing demands
- How to develop psychological resilience and leadership flexibility
- Practical tools to build tolerance for organizational tension
- What business leaders can learn from special operations teams
Whether you're a corporate manager, project leader, or part of a fast-paced team, this piece offers a new way to understand your role—and how to lead through complexity with clarity.
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