Behind the SME

The Sticky Middle: What makes a good manager with Kate Waterfall Hill & Adam Kene

August 20, 2026·40 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Behind the SME with Kate Waterfall Hill: The Sticky MiddleSeason 2 starts with one of the most important, and often overlooked, parts of a growing business: the people sitting between strategy and delivery.In this episode of Behind the SME, Adam Kene is joined by leadership coach and author Kate Waterfall Hill to explore the “sticky middle” of management. Middle managers have a huge influence on culture, engagement and performance, yet many step into the role without enough training, time or support.Adam and Kate get practical:Why managers can have such a significant impact on employee engagementThe difference between leadership, management and coachingWhy your best performer might not become your best managerHow to support new managers with the right training, space and expectationsWhy good leaders do not need to have all the answersHow managers can set boundaries, manage up and communicate trade-offs clearlyWhy progression should not always mean managing peopleThis episode is for SME founders, leaders and managers who want to build stronger teams, develop better managers and create clearer progression routes as their business grows.🎙️ Behind the SME is hosted by Adam Kene, CEO of Kene. In Season 2, Adam is joined by leadership coach and author Kate Waterfall Hill to explore the leadership challenges behind growing businesses.Like what you hear? We’d love to know!📩 Contact us: hello@behindthesme.co.uk🔗 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/behind-the-sme🌐 More platforms: https://linktr.ee/behindthesme Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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