Executives Do the Right Things, Middle Managers Do Things Right, and Frontline Employees Get Things Right

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In today's workplace, role misalignment is a common phenomenon: executives, middle managers, and frontline employees often engage in tasks that are not their responsibilities. For instance, CEOs obsess over operational details while employees focus on proposing strategies for the company.

In reality, role misalignment can lead to a 27% higher turnover rate of core talent compared to industry averages and a 1.8-fold increase in organizational inefficiency costs.

How can we ensure everyone stays in their rightful roles? The answer lies in this principle: Executives do the right things, middle managers do things right, and frontline employees get things right.

1. Executives: Set the Direction and Do the Right Things

There’s a saying in the industry: "The decline of a company begins with micromanaging attendance".

A friend’s company once had a flexible clock-in policy. However, a newly appointed leader became obsessed with tracking attendance and delaying approvals, which resulted in project delays. Eventually, the entire project team was criticized during a company-wide meeting. After my friend resigned, they learned from former colleagues that their old team had been disbanded due to chronic project delays. As Peter Drucker once said, "Leaders should guide their subordinates to do the right things." Therefore, executives must focus on setting the direction and firmly grasp these three core responsibilities.

Firstly, Strategic Vision: Build a Mechanism for Continuous Evolution. The primary duty of executives is to create a sustainable engine for the company’s growth. This requires not only accurately predicting technological trends and market variables but also establishing a dynamic system for strategic execution.

A talent reserve mechanism is the cornerstone of strategic implementation. Research shows that companies with cross-generational talent pipelines have a 47% higher survival rate during technological disruptions. As an executive, you must build a "talent ecosystem" through initiatives like job rotation challenges and internal entrepreneurship incubators, enabling knowledge transfer between seasoned experts and the new generation.

Secondly, Systemic Efficiency: Redefine Collaborative Paradigms. The flexibility of organizational structure is critical. In this process, executives must act as "rule designers," establishing resource allocation algorithms and collaborative value assessment systems, rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day operations.

Thirdly, Value Resonance: Foster Enduring Cultural Cohesion. True organizational unity stems from deep alignment with core values. As an executive, you must translate culture into tangible behavioral guidelines, not just slogans.

2. Middle Managers: Bridge the Gap and Do Things Right

A survey of 327 Series A-funded companies revealed that 87.6% of founders identified "middle management execution gaps" as their top growth constraint. This statistic echoes Jack Ma’s classic analogy: "An enterprise is like a pyramid—if the middle is weak, even the grandest peak will collapse."As the critical link between strategy and execution, middle managers must excel in these three roles.

Firstly, Strategic Decoders. Middle managers must possess strategic penetration skills: they must thoroughly understand the underlying logic of the company’s strategy and break it down into quantifiable departmental goals. For example, a marketing director at an internet company translated "enhancing brand influence" into quarterly targets like user growth and content reach. They also aligned these definitions with their team to prevent misunderstandings that could derail execution. In this process, middle managers must establish a "two-way calibration" mechanism: confirming strategic intent with superiors and communicating goal significance to subordinates.

Secondly, Resource Orchestrators. Once goals are set, middle managers must optimize the allocation of people, finances, and tasks. This includes:

• Human Capital Reconfiguration: Identifying "pioneers" and "stabilizers" within the team, assigning high-pressure projects to resilient members, and activating potential through job rotations.
• Financial Leverage: Applying the "80/20 rule" to distinguish core projects from routine tasks, directing 80% of the budget to the 20% of initiatives that drive strategic breakthroughs.
• Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Appointing "process liaisons" and holding regular workshops to dismantle information silos. For instance, a manufacturing production head reduced delivery cycles by 30% by implementing a real-time digital dashboard for R&D, procurement, and production data.

This orchestration tests a middle manager’s systemic thinking—they must see both the departmental "trees" and the corporate "forest" to find optimal solutions.

Thirdly, Team Coaches. Middle managers must understand that "management is not control, but activation." Team morale is an invisible driver of performance. To foster this, implement the "Three-Sense Initiative": Purpose: Reinforce mission alignment through quarterly strategy sessions. Participation: Enhance engagement with transparent OKR management. Psychological Safety: Encourage experimentation by establishing innovation funds.

3. Frontline Employees: Execute with Precision and Get Things Right

Frontline employees are the backbone of task execution and operational delivery. Their ability to get things right directly impacts overall success.

Firstly, Goal Decoding: From Vague Instructions to Precise Actions. During a project I oversaw, a colleague tasked with "optimizing the user login process" didn’t act immediately. Instead, they clarified three questions: Was the goal to increase conversion rates or reduce response time? Were the target users new or existing customers? The final objective was to boost new user registration rates by 20% within 15 days. This left a lasting impression on me as a fresh graduate. Adopt the "3W Confirmation Method" for tasks: Always ask What (deliverable), Why (strategic value), and When (deadlines) to prevent errors from misalignment.

Secondly, Detail Mastery: From Standard Execution to Excellence. At Toyota’s production lines, every worker is a "quality sentinel." Once, an assembler noticed a 0.1N·m deviation in bolt torque and halted production, averting a recall of thousands of cars. "Details determine success." Whether drafting documents, operating equipment, or serving clients, scrutinize every step. Cultivate a quality mindset—double-check your work to ensure it meets standards.

Thirdly, Closed-Loop Communication: From One-Way Execution to Two-Way Empowerment. Challenges are inevitable. Instead of struggling alone, communicate proactively. If issues arise, escalate them early and collaborate on solutions. Regularly update stakeholders on progress. Effective communication fosters teamwork and efficiency.

Synergy Across Levels

The difference between executives, middle managers, and frontline employees lies in their core responsibilities: executives set the direction, middle managers ensure execution, and frontline employees perfect the details. Each level is indispensable. Only by staying in their lanes can an organization sail smoothly through the turbulent seas of business.