Power to the Middle

INTRODUCTION

Seeing Managers Differently in a New World of Work

For two and a half years Van, the CEO of a fast-growing tech company, felt himself careening from one crisis to the next. First, the worldwide pandemic seriously disrupted his operations. In particular, the company’s abrupt switch to remote work was poorly executed and led to millions in lost business.

During the first phase of the pandemic in 2020, Van felt like he just didn’t have control of his widely dispersed workers. As soon as he was able, he ordered them to return to the office for at least three days a week. At a meeting with his middle managers announcing the change, one of them, Tina, noted that three of her team members had moved several hours from the city and would ...