Julia Herbst

Kathryn interviews Editor/Fast Company Julia Herbst. Everything that we've always hated about middle managers remains true. They don't get to make big decisions but have to inspire or even force employees to execute on them. Yet mid-level employees are now facing the Great Resignation and Great Reentry, caring for employees' physical and mental wellbeing, rolling out DEI training, and implementing hybrid workflow processes, all with limited resources. In a recent Fast Company article, Work Life Section Senior Editor Julia Herbst details how the pandemic, and the new workplace environment it's created, is posing a challenge to middle managers. She breaks down how executives priorities and those of lower level employees diverge, and what that means for those sandwiched between. Julia points out "There's a reason for the old adage that people quit managers not companies".Kathryn also interviews Author Chris Westfall. When it seems as if the path forward looks like a brick wall, it's time to zoom out, and watch other possibilities come into view, advises author and business coach Chris Westfall. He informs us that it isn't about taking the easy way out of difficult circumstances. It's about overcoming tunnel vision, seeing things in a new way and showing up differently when challenges arise. Accessing new ideas and possibilities in Westfall's narrative is simpler than readers will find in other self-help books because he shares a relatable, straightforward conversation between a Client and a Coach. The Client is ambushed at work. He's fired on a Monday morning. He believes his wife will leave him as a result. He's afraid that he can't pay his bills. Ultimately, Westfall takes an even-handed look at how things work — using neuroscience, history and powerful coaching examples to impart fresh perspectives that are vital to create inclusive cultures. He has appeared on ABC NEWS, NBC TV, CNN and is also a regular contributor to Forbes.