A comprehensive playbook for mid-level leaders and managers who want to excel and achieve – without burning out
In The Fog of Work: A Simple Approach to Navigating the Complexity of Middle Management, author, podcast host, and management consultant, Adam Tarnow, delivers a transformative guide for mid-level leaders doing their best to traverse the modern workplace. The heart of this book is one life-changing question that empowers managers to gain traction in environments that often seem designed to confuse and disorient even the most experienced leaders.
This book is not filled with unsustainable tips and tricks. There are no calls to level up, step up, own up, or suck it up. Today's mid-level leaders don't need a pep talk; they need a plan that works. They need practical ideas that can be implemented into their professional lives immediately, regardless of their industry. The Fog of Work provides that plan.
Inside the book:
- A comprehensive new way to think about work that will have you acting – and feeling – like a consummate and capable professional
- Proven tactics for discovering sustained motivation
- An effective toolkit for mid-level leaders interested in achieving consistent, daily progress without risking burnout or feeling overwhelmed
Perfect for managers negotiating the complexities of mid-level organizational leadership, The Fog of Work is your personal guide to making consistently sound decisions, generating professional momentum, and accurately measuring success.
Table of Contents:
Prologue: Welcome to the Valley! vii
Introduction: Not All Middles Are Miserable xxi
Part I Why Is Middle Management So Difficult? 1
1 This Is All Dilbert’s Fault 3
2 Wait, Where’s My Porsche? 21
3 I Never Liked Hiking Anyway 35
Part II How Do You Find a Way When the Path Isn’t Clear? 55
4 Two Paths Diverged in a Valley 59
5 Now I See a Third Path (and It’s Made All the Difference) 73
6 In the Valley, Scorecards Are Better Than Scoreboards 87
Part III What Happens When You Don’t Want to Do What Needs to Be Done? 105
7 You Don’t Need More Serenity 109
8 How to B.Y.O.P.R. (Bring Your Own Pep Rally) 125
9 Resistance Training 145
Epilogue: Welcome to Leadership! 159
Appendix A: Recommended Resources 165
Appendix B: Twelve Guiding Principles from Three Great Middle Managers 169
Notes 181
Acknowledgments 189
About the Author 193
Index 195
