The Hearts & Minds of Middle Managers Artwork

The Swear Jar

No nonsense. Just the straight sh*t about the harsh realities and the wonderful opportunities that inspired employee communications can bring you and your organization.Whether your job title includes the words 'Communications', 'Human Resources', 'Project Management' or 'Executive', The Swear Jar is for you. The Swear Jar is irreverent, entertaining but, most of all, it's practical. This is where you will get advice that will transform your organization by truly tapping into the power of effective employee communications. Just don't expect us to 'pull any punches'. Is it 'safe for work'? Well, as the title suggests, we do indeed swear a little. But, chances are, when you're dealing with employee communications, you feel like swearing too. So, I think we're pretty much on the same page. Come and swear along with us.

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The Swear Jar

The Hearts & Minds of Middle Managers

April 25, 2021 • Andrew Brown and Elizabeth Williams

Employee engagement is creeping up, but guess who's not engaged? Middle managers. Those much-maligned and ignored folks are under more pressure than ever to get stuff done and keep their organizations moving.

Natalia Smalyuk of Not Business As Usual joins us for a wide-ranging look at why middle managers are struggling, how executives can re-engage them before it's too late, and how organizations need to double down on purpose, authenticity, connection and trust to get through the pandemic crisis period.

Key Topics

1:38: Why Natalia started a business in the middle of a pandemic

3:50: Why middle managers aren’t engaged

7:25: Misunderstandings and uncertainty

8:55: The coming battle for the hearts and minds of middle managers

11:00: Purpose and engagement

16:42: Why are managers struggling and what can we do?

26:20: Do middle managers have to curate their presence

30:30: Invisible, absent middle managers

35:25: Who’s getting it right?

43:20: Advice for middle managers

49:35 Summary