I hate middlemen.

I hate middlemen.

Writer: Tord Kristian F. Andersen

Illustrator: Anna Bjørke

Translator: Sofie Palmstrøm

*A ‘rotskudd’ is an opinion piece written by an editorial staff member of Tuntreet and expresses the writer’s personal opinion

You know the type, those who stand between you and those who can actually help you. I fully understand the need for secretaries, managers, and generally people who can respond on behalf of others when their calendars are already too full. The problem arises when they start responding on their own behalf instead of those they represent. Let me give you an example:

In 2011, the beloved parody artist Alfred ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic wanted to create a parody of Stefani ‘Lady Gaga’ Germanotta’s song “Born This Way.” As a formality, he requested permission through Lady Gaga’s manager but received a rejection. Consequently, he released it as a free bonus track online. It was at this point Lady Gaga discovered the parody; she had never been informed about it by her manager. Gaga gave Weird Al the green light afterward, and the song was included in the planned album.

What has the manager actually contributed with here? They haven’t added anything positive to the world; they’ve just tried to stop something.

Do middlemen just enjoy being difficult? Does it give them a sense of euphoria?

Sometimes, of course, a person with power or popularity hides behind the decisions of middlemen so they don’t have to get their hands dirty themselves. That’s not something I appreciate either, but it’s not necessarily what I’m talking about here.

I’ve been a journalist at Tuntreet for a while now. I’ve experienced numerous occasions where a dam breaks the moment you make direct contact with the people you actually want to talk to. Often, you face the strangest requests, unreasonably strict demands, and the greatest lack of groundedness from their middlemen, just because you want an interview or, God forbid, a quick comment on something related to their job.

Middlemen have power, or more precisely, the power to say no. The power to halt processes so that the individuals you actually should have reached never find out anything. Like a bottleneck to value creation.

Is it really that difficult to get in touch with someone on the same wavelength, someone who knows what the boss would say yes to and what they wouldn’t? Why do they hide these conversations from the people they are intermediaries for? Is it a form of protection in their eyes? Or is it a hint of power going to their heads? Is it sabotage against those who actually want to make a positive difference in the world?

I don’t know.

All I know is that middlemen stand between me and those who can make a difference, and they are not willing to let us be heard.

Are you a middleman? Learn to do your job instead of being a middleman to nothing.