Collaborator. Communicator. Connector. Coach. As a mid-level manager, you're being tasked with more than ever before. You're expected to lead innovation, develop talent, execute on strategy, create an inclusive culture, and help your people adapt to constant change. How can you do it all and be successful? If you read nothing else on being an effective mid-level manager, read these 10 articles. We've combed through hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles and selected the best ones to help you build buy-in up and down your organization, secure time and resources for key projects, and lead change—all while getting the most important work done. This book will inspire you to: Build winning teams and develop talent Transform your role from intermediary to innovator Foster a culture of psychological safety Balance being a leader with being an individual contributor Form partnerships and leverage internal networks Lead your organization from the middle This collection of articles includes "Managers Can't Do It All," by Diane Gherson and Lynda Gratton; "The Real Value of Middle Managers," by Zahira Jaser; "In Praise of Middle Managers," by Quy Nguyen Huy; "Managing Your Boss," by John J. Gabarro and John P. Kotter; "Get the Boss to Buy In," by Susan J. Ashford and James Detert; "The Secrets of Great Teamwork," by Martine Haas and Mark Mortensen; "How the Best Bosses Interrupt Bias on Their Teams," by Joan C. Williams and Sky Mihaylo; "Making the Hybrid Workplace Fair," by Mark Mortensen and Martine Haas; "Why Strategy Execution Unravels—and What to Do About It," by Donald Sull, Rebecca Homkes, and Charles Sull; "The Leader as Coach," by Herminia Ibarra and Anne Scoular; "Make the Most of Your One-on-One Meetings," by Steven G. Rogelberg; "Learn When to Say No," by Bruce Tulgan; and "Begin with Trust," by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss.

Do you feel you don't have enough time to manage your people? Do you avoid interacting with some employees because you hate the dreaded confrontations that often follow? Do you have some great employees you really cannot afford to lose? Do you secretly wish you could be more in control but don't know where to start? Managing people is harder and more high-pressure today than ever before. There's no room for downtime, waste, or inefficiency. You have to do more with less. And employees have become high maintenance. Not only are they more likely to disagree openly and push back, but they also won't work hard for vague promises of long-term rewards. They look to you--their immediate boss--to help them get what they need and want at work. How do you tackle this huge management challenge? If you are like most managers, you take a hands-off approach. You "empower" employees by leaving them alone, unless they really need you. After all, you don't want to "micromanage" them and don't have the time to hold every employee's hand. Of course, problems always come up and often snowball into bigger problems. In fact, you probably spend too much of your time solving problems and falling behind on your work . . . which leaves even less time for managing people . . . which opens the door for even more problems! In It's Okay to Be the Boss, Bruce Tulgan puts his finger on the biggest problem in corporate America--an undermanagement epidemic affecting managers at all levels of the organization and in all industries--and offers another way. His clear, step-by-step guide to becoming the strong manager employees need challenges bosses everywhere to spell out expectations, tell employees exactly what to do and how to do it, monitor and measure performance constantly, and correct failure quickly and reward success even more quickly. Now that's how you set employees up for success and help them earn what they need. Tulgan opens our eyes to the undisciplined workplace that is overwhelming managers and frustrating workers and invites bosses everywhere to accept the sacred responsibility of managing people. His message: It's okay to be the boss. Be a great one!

What's the secret to being indispensable&#8212a true go-to person&#8212in today's workplace? With new technology, constant change and uncertainty, and far-flung virtual teams, getting things done at work is tougher and more complex than ever. We're in the midst of a collaboration revolution, working with everyone, all the time, across silos and platforms. But sometimes it feels like we're stuck in a no-win cycle&#8212dealing with an overwhelming influx of asks, with unclear lines of communication and authority. Overcommitment syndrome looms larger than ever before. But even amid the seeming chaos, there's always that indispensable go-to person who thrives on their many working relationships with people all over the organization chart. How do they do it? Go-to people consistently make themselves valuable to others, maintain a positive attitude of service, are creative and tenacious, and take personal responsibility for getting the right things done. In this game-changing yet practical book, talent guru and bestselling author Bruce Tulgan reveals the secrets of the go-to person in our new world of work. Based on an intensive study of people at all levels, in all kinds of organizations, Tulgan shows how go-to people think and behave differently, building up their influence with others&#8212not by trying to do everything for everybody but by doing the right things at the right times for the right reasons, regardless of whether they have the formal authority. This book will teach you to: Understand the peculiar mathematics of real influence Lead from wherever you are&#8212up, down, sideways, and diagonal Know when to say "no" or "not yet," and how to say "yes" Keep getting better and better at working together And much more. The Art of Being Indispensable at Work is the new How to Win Friends and Influence People for an era in which the guardrails of traditional management have been pulled away.

Adapt your management methods to harness Millennial potential Not Everyone Gets a Trophy: How to Manage the Millennials provides employers with a workable game plan for turning Millennials into the stellar workforce they have the potential to be. The culmination of over two decades of research, this book provides employers with a practical framework for engaging, developing, and retaining the new generation of employees. This new revised and updated edition expands the discussion to include the new 'second-wave' Millennials, those Tulgan refers to as 'Generation Z,' and explores the ways in which these methods and tactics are becoming increasingly critical in the face of the profoundly changing global workforce. Baby Boomers are aging out and the newest generation is flowing in. Savvy employers are proactively harnessing the talent and potential these younger workers bring to the table. This book shows how to become a savvy employer and...* Understand the generational shift occurring in the workplace * Recruit, motivate, engage, and retain the newest new young workforce * Discover best practices through proven strategies, case studies, and step-by-step instructions * Explore new research on the second-wave Millennials ('Generation Z') as well as continuing research on the first-wave Millennials ('Generation Y') * Teach Millennials how to manage themselves, help their managers manage them, and how to become new leaders themselves It's not your imagination Millennial workers are different, but that difference is shaped by the same forces that make potentially exceptional workers. Employers who can engage Millennials' passion and loyalty have great things ahead. Not Everyone Gets a Trophy is your handbook for building the next great workforce.

For more than twenty years, management expert Bruce Tulgan has been asking, What are the most difficult challenges you face when it comes to managing people? Regardless of industry or job title, managers cite the same core issues 27 recurring challenges: the superstar whom the manager is afraid of losing, the slacker whom the manager cannot figure out how to motivate, the one with an attitude problem, and the two who cannot get along, to name just a few. It turns out that when things are going wrong in a management relationship, the common denominator is almost always unstructured, low substance, hit-or-miss communication. The real problem is that most managers are managing on autopilot without even realizing it until something goes wrong. And if you are managing on autopilot, then something almost always does. The 27 Challenges Managers Face shows exactly how to break the vicious cycle and gain control of management relationships. No matter what the issue, Tulgan shows that the fundamentals are all you need. The very best managers hold ongoing one-on-one conversations that make expectations clear, track performance, offer feedback, and hold people accountable. For every workplace problem even the most awkward and difficult The 27 Challenges Managers Face shows how to tailor conversations to solve situations familiar to every manager. Tulgan offers clear approaches for turning around bad attitudes, reducing friction and conflict, improving low performers, retaining top performers, and even addressing your own personal burnout. The 27 Challenges Managers Face is an indispensable resource for managers at all levels, one anyone managing anyone will want to keep on hand. One challenge at a time, you ll see how the most effective managers use the fundamentals of management to proactively resolve (nearly) any problem a manager could face.

This pocket guide provides all employees a game plan for succeeding in the modern, fast changing economy. Teaches how to learn and accumulate marketable skills that will transfer to different jobs and different companies.

A practical "how to" guide on understanding and managing the youngest cohort of workers. With three to four job experiences or internships under their belts, the Gen Yers pose new challenges for organizations that are already spending time, energy, and money recruiting and training young talent.

A managers guide to taking advantage of powerful demographic forces that are causing a "generational shift." If you're managing a mix of employees of all ages from teens to retirees and finding it takes more time and skill than ever before, you'll welcome the insightful methods and tools in this book.

Managing Generation X explains Generation X to its employers. It tunes in to the free-agent mindset that has swept across the entire workforce and serves as the best source of information on a generation that is leaving an indelible mark on the culture of American business. GenXers' willingness to walk away from any unsatisfactory employment relationship launched the staffing crisis that plagues employers today--and has allowed them to become the most entrepreneurial generation in history. Managing Generation X shows employers how to tap this valuable, quirky labor pool. GenXers speak in verbatim interview narratives on almost every page, offering their firsthand experiences as well as concrete advice on how to manage them (and how not to). Through the clear lens of Managing Generation X, we can see the future of work and the workforce of the future.