In today’s fast-paced work environments, mid-level managers, such as Technical Program Managers (TPMs), are often caught in the middle, bridging leadership’s strategic direction with the execution carried out by engineering teams. One of the most fundamental skills for these managers is understanding the dynamics of push and pull techniques. These principles can make or break the effectiveness of a mid-manager, beyond the use of technical tools like Gantt charts, Scrum, or advanced spreadsheets.
In this blog Push And Pull Techniques For Mid-Level Managers, we will learn how these techniques enables mid-level managers to strike a balance between driving teams forward when they hit roadblocks and creating systems to improve long-term processes. Mastering this approach helps ensure that teams stay on track to meet deadlines, deliver quality products, and maintain effective communication with leadership.
Understanding the Push Approach
Push is about taking control in situations where momentum has stalled. It’s about using your experience, knowledge, and authority to break down obstacles and propel the team forward. When a team faces overwhelming challenges—whether it’s missed deadlines, lack of focus, or unforeseen crises—the push technique becomes critical for driving progress.
Example of Push in Action:
Imagine you are a TPM overseeing a software development team. A major deadline is looming, but progress has come to a halt. Your team is struggling to manage an ever-growing list of tasks and bugs, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and directionless.
In this case, pushing means taking swift action to regain focus. You:
- Review the backlog and prioritize tasks.
- Collaborate with the Product Manager (PM) to determine which tasks are most critical.
- Get the Engineering Manager’s (EM) buy-in to start running daily stand-ups, prioritizing work and assigning ownership.
- Ensure the PM regularly resets priorities as tasks get completed, keeping the team aligned with the looming deadline.
- Push tactical decisions down to the EM, while escalating strategic ones.
Through this process, you are pushing the team toward incremental progress by breaking down the work into manageable, prioritized chunks. This creates momentum where previously there was none.
The Power of Pull
While push is about immediate action to overcome obstacles, pull focuses on long-term strategic thinking. Pull is about creating systems, improving processes, and aligning teams with broader organizational goals. Rather than exerting force to move the team forward, pull is about guiding them toward sustainable improvements.
Example of Pull in Action:
Let’s say your team has been consistently underdelivering. They are committing to more work than they can handle, leading to low-quality output and frustration across the board. Leadership is upset about unmet expectations, while engineers feel pressured by unrealistic deadlines.
As a mid-level manager, you step back to look at the bigger picture. You recognize that the issue isn’t one of poor estimates or overcommitment—it’s a breakdown in expectations and communication. To resolve this, you propose a series of regular demos and replanning sessions:
- Schedule demos at regular intervals so that both leadership and engineers can align on progress and give feedback.
- Ensure that these sessions create a space for leadership and engineering teams to recalibrate expectations, adjust scope, and prioritize remaining work.
- Create a rhythm of “Plan, Commit, Work, Demo, Evaluate, and Repeat,” ensuring that all parties are involved in shaping the project as it unfolds.
By pulling the team into a new, collaborative process, you are fostering a sustainable framework that reduces miscommunication and improves project outcomes. This strategic pull creates lasting improvements in how the team operates.
When to Push and When to Pull
The key to being an effective mid-manager is knowing when to push and when to pull. If the team is stuck or progress has stalled, it’s time to push. If the problem is more systemic and involves long-term issues like poor process or misaligned expectations, it’s time to pull.
Here’s how to determine when each approach is appropriate:
When to Push:
- Urgency: Deadlines are fast approaching, and the team needs immediate direction.
- Stagnation: Progress has slowed, and the team is stuck in analysis paralysis.
- Crisis Mode: Critical issues are surfacing, and decisive action is required to keep the project on track.
When to Pull:
- Process Breakdowns: Teams are struggling with consistent issues related to processes or communication.
- Strategic Alignment: The team needs guidance to align their work with broader organizational goals.
- Long-term Improvement: You identify patterns of inefficiency that require systemic change rather than immediate action.
Key Benefits of Push and Pull Techniques
Mastering push and pull dynamics offers several advantages to mid-level managers:
- Increased Productivity: The push approach allows teams to quickly overcome roadblocks and get back on track, preventing further delays.
- Smoother Workflows: By pulling the team toward process improvements, managers can create long-term systems that reduce inefficiencies and foster collaboration.
- Better Communication: The pull technique helps align teams and leadership, reducing miscommunication and ensuring that expectations are clear.
- Improved Team Morale: When managers know when to push and when to pull, teams feel supported in both the short term (crisis management) and the long term (strategic alignment).
Practical Tips for Applying Push and Pull
Assess the Situation: Start by analyzing whether the team’s challenge is urgent (requiring push) or systemic (requiring pull). If deadlines are looming and progress is slow, a push approach might be needed. For long-standing issues like process breakdowns, consider a pull strategy.
Collaborate with Key Stakeholders: Work closely with Engineering Managers, Product Managers, and leadership to ensure alignment on priorities, whether you’re pushing the team through a tough sprint or pulling them toward a better process.
Communicate Clearly: Whether pushing or pulling, communication is critical. Ensure that your team understands why certain decisions are being made and how their work aligns with broader goals.
Be Adaptive: No single approach works for every situation. Great mid-level managers adapt, switching between push and pull techniques as needed to address both immediate challenges and long-term goals.
Conclusion: Push And Pull Techniques For Mid-Level Managers
As a mid-manager, your ability to balance push and pull techniques is essential to driving team success. Push when momentum has stalled and urgent action is required to meet deadlines. Pull when process improvements or strategic shifts are necessary to enhance long-term performance. By leveraging both approaches effectively, you’ll not only help your team navigate roadblocks but also ensure that they operate efficiently and in alignment with organizational goals.