What do middle managers across tech, advanced manufacturing, and nonprofits struggle with most?

Across a cohort of 24 leaders—with 1 to 5 years of people management experience—four leadership behaviors emerged as the most commonly named growth areas:

- Saying “no” and setting boundaries (team and self)
- Protecting time for strategic (not just urgent) work
- Speaking up with senior leaders
- Creating space for others to contribute (team and peers)

These aren’t just skill gaps—they reveal deeper fears and assumptions that silently shape how managers lead.

📘 This article draws from a field-based study I conducted with 24 middle managers, uncovering the invisible forces that shape leadership behavior—and what senior leaders can do about it.

Are your teams running at 95 %+ utilization? Stop calling it efficiency—it’s deferred failure.

Dive deeper..

Leaders… ever feel like your day is just one big game of whack-a-mole?
That’s the trap of working in the system.

In this short piece, I share how to step back, zoom out, and start improving the system itself—plus a simple visual tool I use with clients that helps teams identify bottlenecks and create sustainable solutions.

👇 Give it a read and let me know what stands out.

Navigating Tensions of Restructuring: Structure, Flexibility, and Humanity. Like most change initiatives, it wasn’t just logistical. It was deeply human.