Supporting Middle Managers with Chris Williams

In this episode of The Workplace Wonderer, Kara and Blake sit down with leadership powerhouse Chris Williams, a seasoned advisor with over 45 years of experience building and leading teams—from writing software to scaling departments to serving as VP of HR at Microsoft. Together, they explore the often-overlooked plight of middle managers—those caught between strategic leadership and front-line execution. Chris brings wisdom, wit, and real-world insight to the conversation, offering practical advice for supporting this essential tier of leadership. You’ll also hear: Chris’s behind-the-scenes take on Microsoft’s shift from a cutthroat to a collaborative culture. What it was really like working under Satya Nadella. How Chris became unexpectedly TikTok famous with leadership videos reaching over 250K followers. And the leadership lessons that have stood the test of time. 📲 Follow Chris at https://CLWill.com or search @CLWill on social media. ✨ Subscribe for more episodes that help you rethink the modern workplace! To Learn more about Kara Kirby: https://InsightsLG.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/karakirby84/ To learn more about Blake Cohen: https://blakeevancohen.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakecohenmscap/