Not Stuck in the Crossfire: How to Go from Sandwich Man to Strategic Midfielder

I recognize it so well in the many leaders I have the privilege of meeting, and honestly, sometimes in myself too. You stand by the coffee machine early in the morning, look at your to-do list for the day, and feel the pressure pushing from both sides. From above comes the demand for more production, higher quality, faster turnaround times—and all of that with fewer people. And from the shop floor, you hear the justified concerns: 'Paul, how are we going to cover for those who are sick? Do they up there even understand what is really happening down here?'

At a moment like that, you don't feel like a leader, but like a sandwich man or sandwich woman. Trapped between two worlds, constantly busy taking hits, putting out fires, and translating pressure. It is a position that leaves you exhausted, where it feels like nothing is ever good enough. But it is not the only way.

From Sandwich Man or Woman to Midfielder

To break free from the almost automatic attitude of "it doesn't make a difference anyway," you need a different mindset. A way of thinking and positioning yourself within the bigger picture, so that you experience a greater sense of control and can exert influence in all directions.

Let me take you to the soccer field to make this concrete. Think about the midfielder. The midfielder is also positioned in the middle, just like the sandwich man, but their experience is completely different. They are not a victim of the ball that happens to be kicked their way. No, the midfielder is the playmaker. They control the ball, look around, distribute the play, and direct the game. They don't just look forward (up) or backward (down), but excel at looking left and right. They oversee the entire field and determine the dynamics.

The sandwich man tries to survive the pressure of the system; the midfielder chooses their challenges and shapes the system.

The well-known thinker Frances Frei once wrote that trust rests on three crucial pillars: authenticity, empathy, and logic. The sandwich man often loses their authenticity because they are only filtering and surviving. The midfielder, on the other hand, uses empathy toward their team and their own managers, and uses logic to bring calm to the game.

Expanding the Playing Field: Look Left and Right

As a midfielder in an organization, the art is to broaden your field of vision. The sandwich man looks exclusively vertically: what do I need to bring from top to bottom? The midfielder looks horizontally.

Who is standing on your right side? Those are your fellow midfielders—the other team leaders or department heads. Often, they are in the exact same boat. By teaming up with them, you exchange experiences and form a front of healthy logic. And who is standing on your left? Those might be your customers, the patients, or the students your organization serves.

When you start to see the bigger picture, your mindset shifts. You are no longer the buffer absorbing the blows, but the connector ensuring that the right energy flows to the right place.

Three Practical Steps to Take Control

The shift from sandwich man to midfielder doesn't happen overnight. It requires small, conscious steps. Not perfection, but room to grow.

1. Know yourself (Your compass) If you don't know where your own boundaries, values, and strengths lie, you become a plaything of the daily grind. Regularly take some time for silence. What do you need to stay resilient? How do you prefer to communicate under pressure?

2. Know your teammates (The connection) Truly immerse yourself in the other person. What are the real expectations and frustrations of your manager? And what is going on on the shop floor? By listening with empathy, you can manage expectations instead of just passively enduring them.

3. Build healthy rituals A high-trust organization cannot function without rituals. Schedule regular moments for feedback and genuine appreciation. Make the people who are affected by decisions active participants in the solution.

Where Are You on the Field?

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Your role in the middle is crucial; you are the one who actually shapes the culture at the foundation. Without your healthy leadership, the top can come up with the most beautiful plans, but they will never reach the shop floor with the right inspiration.

I want to invite you to reflect honestly on your own position this week. Where do you really stand right now—not where you wish you stood, but in the raw reality of everyday life? Do you feel more like the sandwich man or the midfielder? And what is one small, achievable step you can take today to become the playmaker once again?

Warm regards,

Paul Donders