S A G A R B A N G A R

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Abstract

The success of the organization heavily depends on how it operates, which is linked to its

culture, innovation, and strategic execution. This paper will explore how the operation of an

organization is affected by its leadership style, with the focus on the leaders in three tiers: lower

level, middle, and senior/high level. Drawing on literature and empirical evidence for each of the

three levels of management, the paper will apply models that explain leadership styles and

positions within a company. The research will also include the challenges, competencies, and

expected actions of a leader for each of the three levels of management. I suggest that companies

create appropriate leadership development programs for each level of management to ensure they

are adaptable, responsible, and strategically aligned.

Keywords: Frontline leadership, middle management, senior leadership, organizational behavior,

strategic leadership, paradox theory

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1. Introduction

Leadership is inherently multi-layered, with distinct behavioral expectations, responsibilities, and

influence at each hierarchical level. From frontline supervisors fostering team cohesion to

executives steering strategic vision, leadership shapes how organizations function and adapt.

Understanding how leadership manifests at different tiers is vital to decoding organizational

behavior (OB) and optimizing performance. The Leadership Pipeline framework outlines that

transitions between levels require shifts in values, skillsets, and time application. This research

integrates insights from qualitative and empirical studies to examine how leadership at the

frontline (FLT), middle (MLT), and senior/executive (SLT) levels uniquely influences OB.

Additionally, the study contributes to understanding how leadership capability at each level can

impact organizational resilience and sustainability, especially in times of uncertainty and

transformation.
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2. Literature Review

At the frontline level, leadership is all about hands-on technical competence and direct

supervision. The middle level involves communicating strategy and aligning processes and

people towards it. However, the senior/executive level requires senior leaders to focus on the

overall organization, work across functions, and deal with the external world. Leadership gets

more abstract and complex with each successive stage.

Transformational and transactional leadership theories are useful for understanding behavior

across hierarchical levels. Lower-level managers are more likely to engage in transactional

behaviors in the context of performance-reward contingencies. Managers in the middle tiers of

an organization have a mix of transformational and transactional characteristics. They are

disciplined implementers but also have the capacity to inspire and motivate employees. Top

executives are more likely to use transformational leadership styles to propagate organizational

change and innovation. Transformational leadership is especially useful in rapidly changing

environments like the tech industry. Tech companies are constantly changing their products and

services, and marketing tactics, to stay ahead of their competitors.

Paradox theory gives a perspective to understand the tension leaders experience when

trying to balance control and creativity, tradition and change, and short-term performance with

long-term vision (Smith & Lewis, 2011). These tensions are felt most acutely by middle

managers, who are, in a sense, structurally caught between the strategic aspirations of top

leadership and the daily operational details of the front line. More detail is needed on this theory

and the relationship to each management level. Later in the paper, you call out training in

paradox management, which is why more information is needed here.

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3. Leadership at the Frontline Level

3.1 Role and Behavioral Focus

Frontline leaders are crucial supervisors who manage the team and put plans into action during

implementation. They are responsible for operational efficiency and tracking the performance of

their subordinates. Research findings always indicate the importance of frontline leaders due to

their proximity to employees and their significance in reinforcing psychological safety and work

engagement (Ghani et al., 2023). They influence peer cooperation, adherence to guidelines, and

team climate.

3.2 Organizational Behavior Impact

Frontline leaders are critical in shaping the micro-level workplace dynamics that influence

organizational behavior. They provide clear performance rules, enforce compliance, and enhance

motivation through rewards and recognition. Then, they act as informal communicators between

the middle management and lower-level employees. Frontline leaders influence the effectiveness

of knowledge sharing and training employees, ultimately leading to the team’s performance and

cohesion (Lee, 2021). Moreover, when the abilities of these leaders are high, the levels of

employee performance, satisfaction, and customer service also improve.

3.3 Challenges

Frontline leaders often face the dilemma of compromising production goals with human resource

considerations. This often leads to a deficiency of strategic visibility and overwork, which

impede their decision-making (Naseer & Shah, 2022). In their proximity to everyday tasks,

frontline leaders may lack awareness of the organization’s overarching objectives. In addition, a
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lack of independence may stifle their creativity and responsibility (Singh & Malik, 2023).

Leadership development at this level is often under-resourced, despite the fact that frontline roles

are the most widespread and impactful on day-to-day outcomes.

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4. Middle Management: The Strategic Bridge

4.1 Role and Strategic Function

Middle managers are key organizational figures who bridge the top executives and the other

employees. They transform the strategic goals set by the top management into real operational

activities. The middle managers are also responsible for providing the top management feedback

about the on-ground realities. Their primary tasks include facilitating changes, aligning the

employees with the organizational goals, and integrating the strategic information (Melo et al.,

2024). Middle managers are also responsible for successfully implementing the company-wide

programs.

4.2 Organizational Behavior Impact

Middle managers play an essential role in impacting organizational behavior by engaging in their

job descriptions of talking, negotiating, and micro-political activities. They give meaning to the

subordinates, initiatives, and translate the culture (Fonseca et al., 2025). They need to make

sense up and down the organization, meaning that they have to address the subordinates'

anxieties and the top management's expectations. The effect of the middle managers on

organizational behavior is both cultural and emotional. The middle managers shape the change

and transformation in the organization.

4.3 Challenges and Tensions

Alshwayat (2023) describes the managerial paradoxes that middle managers face as they deal

with continuity and change, and compliance and creativity. They are said to be in danger during

crises, when their level of role clarity and autonomy decreases (Machado et al., 2022). Middle
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managers also experience initiative fatigue when they are bombarded with multiple conflicting

projects. It is important to note that middle managers are pivotal to the organization as they

ensure that organizational strategies are absorbed at the operational level (Gibson & Groom,

2021). This dual accountability creates tension but also an opportunity for strategic innovation.
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5. Senior Leadership: Vision, Strategy, and Culture

5.1 Role and Influence

Senior leaders play a crucial role in setting a clear strategic direction for the organization,

aligning corporate culture, and achieving organizational performance. They are the main

responsible person for the company's identity and the manufacturer of its future value. For

example, at Rolls-Royce, the CEO promoted cultural and organizational transformation,

alignment of organizational strategy, and policy execution (Erginbilgiç & Birshan, 2025). An

effective senior leadership is essential to implement purpose and values into organizational

systems, policies, and daily actions.

5.2 Organizational Behavior Impact

Executives impact the OB by articulating a vision, enforcing values, and influencing systemic

norms. Because healthier teams lead to better performance, leaders have a stake in helping teams

across the organization create better practices (De Smet et al., 2025). It also includes identifying,

developing, and rewarding high potentials and aligning their rewards with the company's long-

term goals.

The executives who emphasize transparency, fairness, and flexibility ultimately produce a

culture of resilience. Nike had been seeing declining sales, layoffs, and negative public

perception. To address this, the new CEO Elliott Hill, who returned from retirement to lead the

company. Hill’s turnaround model at Nike had crucial emphasis on trust, mind, and culture

(Gordon, 2024).

5.3 Challenges and Strategic Trade-offs

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Senior executives need to balance external influences such as public opinion and market

instability with internal cohesion. During a crisis, leaders must be transparent, strong, and

cultural guardians. Moreover, they have to manage risks associated with global politics, the

shareholders’ expectations, and the stakeholders’ claims. One wrong strategic decision, for

exampleignoring stakeholder values, can ruin the long-standing relations of trust.

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6. Comparative Analysis

6.1 Strategic Alignment Across Levels

The results from all hierarchical levels accentuate the importance of vertical alignment. FLT

leaders are supposed to implement, MLT leaders – to translate, and SLT – to envision. While

each category of leaders employs their techniques, alignment is crucial to execute the pre-set

company mission. The issue is that there should be a bridge between the FLT leaders, who

execute the strategic plan, and SLT, which comes up with it (Machado et al., 2022).

Misalignment is generally seen in poor communication, low employee engagement, and results

in poor performance.

6.2 Leadership Development Implications

Organizational resilience requires developing leadership capabilities at each level. Therefore,

programs should offer role-specific mentoring and training in paradox management (Alshwayat,

2023). It is important that the development of leaders focuses not only on individuals but also on

their team and the organization as a whole. In order to improve the level of leadership

competencies, feedback loops, cross-level mentoring, or team-based problem-solving should be

implemented.

Leadership advancement should also be seen as a transformative process. Front-line employees

would need to be trained in certain areas, like emotional intelligence and delegating tasks. Those

in the middle would have to be trained in how to influence others with no authority. Those at the

very top need to be prepared to manage entire systems and be ethical. When planning for the

promotion of employees, all of these factors must be taken into consideration on all levels.
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7. Conclusion

Leadership at every level of an organization makes a distinctive contribution to the field of

organizational behavior. The behavior of frontline managers affects the organization's day-to-day

operations and morale. The behavior of managers at the middle level affects the implementation

of strategies and changes in the organization. Finally, the behavior of executives and top

management affects the vision, mission, and culture of the organization. Understanding these

dynamics and their implications for leadership development in organizations adds precision to

understanding leadership and strategy in organizations and also provides insights for those who

would develop such leadership development programs. Future research may focus on

understanding how digital transformation and remote work impact organizational behavior and

leadership levels, and how leadership research needs to change to keep pace with the changing

nature of boundaries in organizations.

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References

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