Are You Just Squeezing By?

More than two decades ago when I was designing commercial training products, I worked on a ground-breaking project. The central premise was that mid-level managers faced a profoundly unique challenge, finding themselves between a rock and a hard place as they balanced, navigated, and frequently absorbed the pressures from those who reported to them and those to whom they reported. Today, such a ‘bold’ concept would be greeted with a big ‘duh’ as it’s widely accepted that middle managers are in an increasingly untenably stressful position.?News reports?routinely explore the consequences of living in this vocational vice.

The Struggle is Real – and Universal

Unfortunately, however, this is no longer exclusively a middle management issue. No doubt, middle managers continue to feel the squeeze between the frontline and executives within their organizations. And today, it’s amplified as they wrestle with new?remote and hybrid working?configurations (and sometimes each other) regarding who works where and when.

But frontline individual contributors are feeling it too. Over the past few years, many report that customer expectations have grown while their tolerance and grace have shrunk. Supply chain issues, persistent delays, inflation, and other factors have resulted in customers who are more challenging than ever to sell to, service, and satisfy. But the pressure isn’t coming from just one side. Frontline workers now feel the squeeze as they balance this with the heightened demands their managers continue to place upon them.

And, of course, the C-suite is?not immune?to these dynamics. Executives find themselves in a precarious position as well during these tumultuous times as they navigate the needs of everyone within the organization. This includes shareholders who have heightened economic concerns that must be staved off with quarter-after-quarter results.

A vice-like grip has descended upon us all – regardless of role or level, amplifying other personal and professional pressures and contributing to unprecedented levels of?burnout?and mental health struggles. This isn’t healthy.?And it’s not sustainable. Something must be done now to ease the current squeeze – while people still have some juice left in them.

My friend, David Dye, has a flair for bringing clarity to complex topics through?decades of experience as an executive and elected official.

His?Live Leadership Development programs,?Leadership Without Losing Your Soul podcast, and four?books?provide practical plans for human-centered leadership.

His latest book,?Tomorrow Together, is a different and delightful project. It?is a deeply moving collection of personal essays about healing and hope for humanity.?The twenty-first century hasn’t started the way many expected.?Amidst all the turmoil, it can feel frustrating and hopeless.

But there's hope for humanity. David shares?resources, wisdom, and most importantly,?faith in each other. Find forty-two short essays that highlight moments of wonder, beauty, and connection.?And enjoy?this post, which David adapted from an essay in Tomorrow Together.?

I’m excited to be back facilitating this interactive webinar on December 1st at 1 PM EST (10 am PST) with my friends at AthenaOnline. This free event will offer leaders tangible strategies for offering the growth and engagement required to reduce unwanted turnover as we settle into the new ‘abnormal’. Please consider joining us by registering?here.

• Book review: ‘Promotions Are SO Yesterday’ by Julie Winkle?Giulioni?-?SA Examiner
• 12 Books on Work and Career Development to Pick Up in Fall 2022?-?CareerWise?

You can tell that fall has arrived by the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon coming from our kitchen. Each year for the past half-century, the Winkle (and now Giulioni) women bake 100+ pumpkin muffins for our holiday meals and for friends and family. The recipe, from an old non-descript cookbook that my dad (a printer) brought home from work, immediately became a family favorite. Throw in a handful of nuts or chocolate chips (our usual choice) and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 ? C sugar
• 1 C salad oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 ? t salt
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg
• 3 ? C flour
• 2 slightly rounded t baking soda
• 2 C (or 1 can) pumpkin
• 2/3 C water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Pour in 2 or 3 greased and floured loaf pans or individual muffin papers.

Bake at 350 - loaves for 1 hour, 10 minutes, and muffins for 15 minutes.

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving,

Julie

P.S. If you have read?Promotions are So Yesterday, thank you! And if you loved it, could you?leave a review?