In the Thick of It

You're in the middle of everything. You are a boss. You have a boss. Being in the thick of it at work, dealing with change, leading your boss and leading your team through it, can feel difficult and exhausting. It can also be rewarding. In the Thick of It takes you on a journey of awareness, growth, and purpose to help you master the art of leadership, to become the kind of leader that delivers results while valuing every human being, engendering trust and loyalty, bringing out the best in others, and bringing out the best in yourself at work. Teatro's lighthearted, humorous, and self-deprecating style delivers lessons in choosing to lead, changing the narrative and leading with purpose. She cracks the lack-of-communication myth, shows you how to identify pitfalls that get in the way of effective communication, and helps you see through the misleading warm glow of inclusion around the word "team." When you're ready to confront the challenge of change, including by leading your boss, Teatro's In the Thick of It is a leadership book that provides the map for you to successfully navigate the waters of planned versus unplanned change, and coaches you on how to incorporate autonomy, mastery, purpose, innovation, and creativity into your leadership toolkit. The failures, bumps, and potholes are all part of the shift from what is, to what can be. In the Thick of It will show you how to cherish the fulfillment that accomplishment brings. It will spur you on, make you want more, and reaffirm your belief in yourself. This is the summit of your mountain and the high that confirms the worthiness of your struggle. Leaders matter. You are a leader in the middle of it all. You want to be the kind of leader that encourages others to do, and be, their best. You want to accomplish something great, something that has meaning, not just for you but for others too. In your ideal world, people are not cogs in a wheel that rolls dispassionately toward the bottom line. They, like you, are searching for something that gives them purpose. From your place in the middle, there is opportunity. After all, the middle is a place where most of us live and learn. It is what we choose to do with it that makes the difference between feeling sandwiched and expanding our horizons, pushing out from the centre, and creating larger, more productive and satisfying spaces. In all the messiness of change, being an empowered leader in the middle can be extremely satisfying. In the Thick of It will take you there.

Gwyn Teatro is a certified professional coach with a master of science degree in management. She has spent the bulk of her career as an HR professional in the financial services industry where she coached senior business leaders and groups on leadership, organizational effectiveness, and strategic business planning. Active on social media and an award-winning blogger on HR and leadership trends and issues, Gwyn has learned a lot about building. That is, building relationships, building bridges, building alliances, and building credibility.

If I Ran the Zoo xiii Leading from the Middle xv SECTION I: CHOOSING TO LEAD xix 1. Choosing to Lead 1 2. Changing the Narrative 17 3. Leading on Purpose 27 SECTION II: COMMUNICATION 41 4. A Fly in the Ointment of Progress 43 5. Transmission 55 6. Reception 75 SECTION III: WORKING TOGETHER 91 7. Working together 93 8. Collaboration 107 9. Leading Teams 119 SECTION IV: LEADING THROUGH CHANGE 131 10. The Challenge of Change 133 11. Know Thyself 147 12. Building Support 159 13. Fertilizing the Change Environment 173 14. Getting to Action 185 15. Building Strength Through Struggle 197 Now's the Time 207 If You Liked "In the Thick of It" 211 Acknowledgments 213 About the Author 217 Reading References 219 Notes 225