A resource for when Middle Management has got you down…
The trope in management is that it is “lonely at the top”. Whether you are an entry level manager or a top executive, you will feel the isolation to some degree. Making and keeping friends when you also lead them has many issues. Here are some of the hidden reasons behind these friendship challenges.
Continue reading “The Challenge of Making and Keeping Friends as a Manager”
When entering a new workplace there are certain aspects of the company culture that the new hire is expected to adopt. Dress, language choice, body language, and most importantly how to respond to the power dynamics that already exist.
Power dynamics are complex interpersonal relationships that exist at every organization. Every social interaction is a power equation, who has it and who doesn’t will determine the outcome.
A middle manager’s power is a multifaceted dance between leading a group and complying with senior management. There are many leadership books on the market, but the truth is that a middle manager can really only use those traditional techniques half of the time. Power stance? Nope, not in front of the boss.
Continue reading “How a Middle Manager Can Make Shifting Power Dynamics Work for Them”
Team Lead, Supervisor, Division Manager. Whatever your organizational chart calls it – you’re a middle manager. Stuck between dual demands of your superiors and direct reports, you’re the role that has to placate both. Your mentor may have forgotten, or didn’t want to discourage you, with how difficult this role can be! Here are tools to add to your leadership toolbox so that you can navigate this difficult middle management role like a pro!
Continue reading “Stuck in the Middle With You: A Middle Manager’s Plight”