The thing is that everyone has individual needs. As a former people manager, I had people on my team who thrived “under pressure” and wanted frequent touch points about their metrics because it drove them. Others preferred to be left alone. Whenever my team would run into roadblocks that kept them from moving forward with their work, some wanted me to sit there while they screen shared and worked through it to give direction, and others wanted me to share thoughts on how I’d handle it (or ask clarifying questions).

Middle managers are expected to adapt to change, and then lead through that change while being emotional dumping ground for their direct reports. Yes, that’s something people sign up for when taking the role, but getting a title doesn’t make someone suddenly able to know how each person on their team needs to be supported. A good manager will work to understand the needs of their individual employees but to expect them to just know is kind of ridiculous.