You weren't warned about the middle.
You get promoted. Now you've got senior leaders pushing targets down. And a team pushing stress up.
You're standing in the gap. Absorbing both. All day.
Middle managers report more burnout than any other group at work.
This is why.
The fix isn't pushing harder. It's the human skills that make the pressure manageable. Boundaries. Clear conversations. Knowing what to carry and what to hand back.
"Sorry if you were offended."
That's not an apology.
That's blaming them for having feelings.
The "if" undoes the whole thing.
Try: "Sorry. I got that wrong."
No if. No but. You just own it.
Could you say sorry without the "if"?