The term “middleman” usually conjures up a negative image — someone who creates costs and slows things down. The truth is almost the opposite: Middlemen usually can make things happen more efficiently than those who specialize in other job functions. Middle managers can learn from middlemen in three ways: Look for gaps between the silos. People who can bridge the “structural holes” in organizations, who understand the needs and resources of different teams, can bridge cultural divides. Keep both sides honest. The middleman’s power comes from a unique vantage point that can keep one or both sides accountable for delivering on the end product. Be a single point of contact for your team. Middlemen can help with information overload, filtering out the noise and delivering crucial data. Adapted from “What Middle Managers Can Learn from Agents, Brokers, and Other Middlemen,” by Marina Krakovsky

If you want to continue working in some capacity after you retire, you’ll have to do some planning. Start by asking yourself four questions: How much money do I need to earn? If a certain income is mandatory, this criterion needs to come first and will influence your other decisions. How much location independence do I want? If you have visions of balancing some work with a lot of travel, or if you’d like to spend winters in sunny climes, think carefully about how to cultivate a location-independent second act, such as a seasonal or internet-enabled job. How much change am I seeking? If you’d simply like to downshift in your current career, ask your manager about transitioning into a consultant role. A bolder change will require additional groundwork. How can I start test-driving my future career now? Experiment with some small side projects while you have the security of your regular income. Adapted from “Planning Your Post-Retirement Career,” by Dorie Clark

If you dislike having a structured work schedule but find it difficult to maximize productivity without one, it may be time to change the way you think about time management. Consider your unique creative rhythm: How do you work best on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis to help create order and flexibility? Most people have a natural rhythm in which they can accomplish about one major professional project per month. Projects, meetings, and commitments can vary week to week, but it’s helpful to have a general sense of the weekly cadence that’s right for you. For daily cadence, there’s no single formula. The trick is to be honest with yourself about when you do your best focused work, when you prefer to have meetings, and when you’ll make space for the processing and planning that keeps everything moving. Experiment with your own monthly, weekly, and daily rhythms to find the cadence that’s right for you. Adapted from “How to Get into a Rhythm at Work If You Can’t Stick to a Schedule,” by Elizabeth Grace Saunders

Not all leaders are comfortable giving employees feedback — especially when it’s negative. The fear of hurting people’s feelings and dealing with potential drama holds too many managers back. But people thrive on feedback, which is why giving it early and often is so important. The next time you need to have a difficult feedback conversation with an employee, use these guidelines: Be direct but kind. Don’t beat around the bush. Include specific examples of desired behaviors to help illustrate what you mean. Listen. This provides a space in which both people feel respected. Don’t make it personal. Imagined slights and malice are toxic, but if you acknowledge the emotions being felt, you open a relief valve for the stress. Be present. Show up fully for the discussion, and don’t rush off once it’s over. Follow up later so afterthoughts don’t create imagined distance. Inspire greatness. Be sure to communicate your aspirations for the person you’re giving feedback to. Adapted from “Two-Thirds of Managers Are Uncomfortable Communicating with Employees,” by Lou Solomon

When meetings veer off track, everyone’s time gets wasted. But what if you’re not in charge and the meeting leader is the source of inefficiency? It can be daunting to question a superior, but you can do it without challenging their authority. First, think about the standard procedures for planning a meeting: inviting the right people, sending out pre-work, and developing an agenda. Start your feedback there, since focusing on procedures won’t feel like a personal attack. If you do need to address the way someone runs a meeting, tread with caution. You certainly can’t say, “This was a lousy meeting, and here’s how to make it better.” But you can offer some quick assessment mechanisms to help the meeting leader reach their own conclusions: a meeting process checklist that people fill out anonymously, a survey that participants complete online, or quick questions that everyone discusses at the end of every meeting. We all are accountable for keeping meetings effective, whether we are leading them or simply participating. Adapted from “Keeping Meetings on Track When You’re Not in Charge,” by Ron Ashkenas

A driven employee is every manager’s dream. But when you have a direct report whose ambition and desire are overmatched by their ability or experience, managing expectations isn’t easy. If the employee asks for a promotion they just aren’t ready for, here’s how to handle the situation. One of the most powerful things you can say in response is, “I believe in you.” (If you genuinely mean it.) After acknowledging their contributions, say, “You’re not yet ready for that promotion. Let’s talk about how you can get there.” Help your employee understand what they need to learn before a promotion is possible — and that you’re there to help. If, for example, they lack cross-functional skills, suggest they do a stint in another division or join a company-wide committee. Dig deeper. Learn what motivates your employee by asking open-ended questions like, “What does success look like for you?” If they want recognition or more autonomy, think about ways you can provide those things. Adapted from: “What to Do When Your Employee Asks for a Raise Too Soon,” by Rebecca Knight

If you’re a hiring manager, you’re probably happiest getting a sense of a candidate through unstructured interviews, which allows you to explore details you think are interesting and relevant. This method of interviewing makes it easy to tailor the direction of the interview and may help you understand your applicant’s personality, but it’s fraught with unreliability. Individual biases end up creeping in; for example, research shows that hiring managers tend to look for someone like themselves in interviews. To make the best decision — one that’s impartial — standardize your interviewing process and ask the same questions of each applicant. Then score and compare all candidates’ responses horizontally. That is, if you interview five candidates, compare each of their answers on question one, then each answer on question two, and so on. Doing so will help eliminate subjectivity. The flow of conversation during the interview may be slightly more awkward, but the payoff is worth it. Adapted from “How to Take the Bias Out of Interviews,” by Iris Bohnet

As more and more employees work offsite, virtual meetings are becoming a necessity. Since it’s harder to “read the room” when you’re not actually in the same room as your team, these meetings can be tricky to navigate. The key is to focus on building relationships. Allow 10 minutes at the start of each meeting for people to connect and catch up with each other. Think of this as your virtual watercooler time, when you can engage in informal conversations. Ask questions about personal lives and families to get to know each other outside the context of work. Once you officially start the meeting, be sure to refer to each contributor by name so that everyone feels recognized and part of the community. When you can, meet face to face with team members. These techniques help lay the foundation for authentic conversation and connection, which ultimately lead to more-effective virtual meetings. Adapted from “What Everyone Should Know About Running Virtual Meetings,” by Paul Axtell

Delivering consistently stellar results should be enough to get ahead at work. Keeping your head down and focusing on getting your work done should help you move up the ranks of a company. But, unfortunately, doing good work is only part of the success equation. If you want to prove your worth, you must embrace office politics. You have to “play the game” and navigate all of the tricky interpersonal relationships and sticky situations that go well beyond your actual job description. Observe how those who are rising through the ranks at your company communicate, network, and strategically manage their own careers, and try to replicate their techniques. Look for chances to talk to influential executives, and make sure your contributions are noticed by those above you. If it feels unnatural or uncomfortable at first, that’s okay. Professional growth often requires getting outside of your comfort zone. Adapted from “Great Leaders Embrace Office Politics,” by Michael Chang Wenderoth

When you give a presentation, you’re trying to change your audience’s beliefs about something. So it’s crucial to consider what assumptions your audience holds about your topic — and how you want those to change. For example, let’s say you’re delivering a presentation to potential university donors. You want to move them from being skeptical that the school will make good use of the money to feeling excited about the innovative research they could help support. This shift will encourage them to donate, so keep it in mind when planning your presentation. Ask yourself, “How do I want them to behave differently? How must their attitudes or emotions change before their behavior can change?” Acknowledge the difficulty of what you’re asking them to do in order to accept your idea. If you want to make it clear that you understand their point of view, explicitly acknowledge their concerns and outline a concrete idea to address them. Focusing on what people care about will make them much more open to change. Adapted from the HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations, by Nancy Duarte