Stuck In The Middle #4 Embracing Alienation

September 13, 2024
/ By Keith

Last week, I wrote about how even the meaning we find in our work is part of how we are exploited as workers. This week promises a path forward and how we can lean into the alienation that results…

Stuck In the Middle #3 Finding meaning

September 6, 2024
/ By Keith

Last week, we explored why people work a job: to make a living. Today, we will explore the other reason, finding meaning. Returning to my dad’s quote, “You aren’t supposed to like all parts of your job. That’s why…

Stuck in the Middle #2 Working for a living

August 30, 2024
/ By Keith

Years ago, when I complained to my dad about some aspects of my job, he responded, “You aren’t supposed to like all parts of your job. That’s why they pay you.” He had created a split between the part…

Stuck In the Middle #1 Introduction

August 23, 2024
/ By Keith

Welcome to the Stuck In The Middle Newsletter. This Newsletter aims to show you ways of thinking differently about the context of modern knowledge work. This first newsletter should be considered an extended introduction. What does it mean to…

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

February 22, 2024
/ By Keith

One of the most popular management books of all time Is Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. I have recommended this book to many first-time managers as I think it helps explore some important concepts. That said,…

360s are broken

November 1, 2023
/ By Keith

Stop doing horrible 360s. Most 360s that I have encountered in organizations are poorly designed. They ask the reviewer to provide objective, holistic feedback on an individual. They ask things like, “Is this person a great coach and mentor…

Seasonal Leadership

July 7, 2023
/ By Keith

A recent HBR articlebrought up the idea that leaders need to be able to transition from an “exercise of authority” mode to a “flat” mode. They claim data back this up, but the article doesn’t share the data that…

How Experts Make decisions

June 25, 2023
/ By Keith

There are differences between how experts make decisions and how novices do. Gary Klein has studied decision-making, and his results have been somewhat counter-intuitive. (All of the quotes in this article are from his book Sources of Power) Before…

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