This exploratory phenomenological study examines how community college advising coordinators describe their experiences influencing advising practices and policies on their campuses as middle managers. This study was conducted to address the lack of empirical research into community college advising coordinators' perceptions of the institutional and administrative challenges they face in influencing or changing institutional advising practices and policies. Thirteen advising coordinators from 13 different community colleges within two undisclosed northeastern states participated in this study. The study addressed two research questions: (a) How do community college advising coordinators describe their experiences influencing advising practices and policies on their campuses? and (b) Do community college advising coordinators feel they can meet the expectations of senior management given their level of institutional influence surrounding advising? The study found that in influencing or changing institutional advising practices and policies, administrative staff and faculty advisers often serve as barriers for community college advising coordinators. Also, advising coordinators face administrative and logistical barriers associated with institutional action that transcends the scope and direct oversight of their positions as middle managers. Most advising coordinators have mixed feelings about their ability to meet senior management expectations or felt these expectations were unrealistic given their score of responsibilities and oversight. The significance of this research lies with its emphasis on community college advising coordinators which is an under-researched topic within the advising literature.