Middle management muddle: Handling unpopular policies

When Phil Richards was a superyacht engineer, "leadership was something you fell into as you progressed through the ranks," he writes. It wasn't an inevitable path, and your years of technical expertise were a far bigger accomplishment than wearing a suit. That insight might make it easier for younger leaders to understand why some older employees have trouble changing gears for reskilling or upskilling. Older workers, on the other hand, need to embrace leadership training as they realize "leadership is just as important in the engine room as it is on the bridge," Richards writes.

Put it into practice: People who've been used to doing the work that machines may be taking over shouldn't be thrown into a leadership role without professional development, however reluctant they may be to admit needing it. Karl Santrian, a leadership development expert at BZ Maritime Leadership, says workers should know that "[l]eadership isn’t something you learn overnight or buy attending a single course; it’s developed over time by practicing skills and learning what works for you."

Leaders have to understand a disagreement if they want to master effective conflict resolution, Paul Thornton, author of "Leadership Styles," writes. First, it's important to distinguish between conflicts and problems: Conflicts arise from emotional disagreements, while problems are obstacles to goals. By identifying specific areas of disagreement and discussing the reasons behind them, the chances of finding a resolution can increase.

Put it into practice: To resolve conflicts, focus on effective communication and emotional management. Be specific, listen actively and define any terms, Thornton writes. Compromise, collaboration and experimentation can help too.

Middle managers are in a tricky position when difficult subjects arise -- such as return-to-office policies -- and even top-notch communicators may struggle, write executive coaches Faith Cohen and Craig Revor of the Neuberg Gore Executive Coaching Firm. The intensity of feelings and impact on employee morale and productivity all figure in, but effective managers will use their influence to support their team without enabling them while getting them to commit to a new policy that even the middle manager may disagree with.

Put it into practice: To navigate this space, Cohen and Revor point to Neuberg Gore's research-based CUBE model: create context, understand perspectives, brainstorm options and end with commitments. This framework enhances effective communication and leadership and helps managers empower their teams without fostering a victim mindset, they say.

Michele Waterman's journey with dyslexia and ADHD -- not diagnosed until she was 41 -- includes founding nonprofits and hosting a podcast, successes that showcase her mental shifts, resilience and adaptability to powerful assistive technology. She refuses to be limited: "My dyslexic advantage is being an exceptional communicator, a super-connector, being able to step back and cast a vision by looking ahead and seeing the big picture ... while being a courageous risk-taker that thinks outside the box," she says.

Who knew that penguins had an eye for architecture? Researchers who provided various manmade nests for African penguins to choose from discovered that penguins gravitated toward double-layered nests made of ceramic for the most effective breeding compared with plywood A-frames, cement-fiberglass combos and fiberglass faux burrows. Different colonies' different preferences underscore the need for tailored approaches to conservation efforts, professor Lorien Pichegru of Nelson Mandela University says.