Being proactive as a middle manager can be challenging. You are trying to keep your boss happy and your team engaged, with limited authority to make significant improvements. However, there are some simple ways you can take control of your role and career.

Check out this article for tips on how to get out of your perpetual survival mode and the five questions you can ask yourself to become (a bit more) more proactive.

Middle managers are expected to be mindful of the strategic stuff, while keeping the operational stuff humming.

It’s not an easy gig.

Check out this post for some tips on how to make this easier for yourself.

As you progress through the ranks, there is generally more uncertainty to deal with.

This is not an easy thing to embrace, especially if your success is largely based on your technical expertise, attention to detail or general preparedness.

Check out this post for some (less scary) ways to become more comfortable with discomfort, as you are working towards strategic leadership.

Strategic leaders need to think longer term to set the strategic direction of their organisation. But that’s easier said than done when you’ve only ever implemented short-term plans.

Check out this post for ways you can expand your thinking beyond the one-year horizon and be braver in your planning processes.

Strategic skills are not some elusive quality reserved for top executives. I believe that they can be learned – it just takes a bit of practice.

Check out this post for ideas on how you can start by broadening your thinking beyond your own team, even if you’ve only ever worked in one area of your organisation.

This is the final part of a six-part series where I have aimed to break down what strategic thinking actually involves, to make it less abstract for those looking to transition into strategic leadership / executive roles.

This is part five of a six-part series where I aim to break down what strategic thinking actually involves, to make it less abstract for those looking to transition into strategic leadership / executive roles.

This is part four of a six-part series where I aim to break down what strategic thinking actually involves, to make it less abstract for those looking to transition into strategic leadership / executive roles.

This is part three of a six-part series where I aim to break down what strategic thinking actually involves, to make it less abstract for those looking to transition into strategic leadership / executive roles.

This is part two of a six-part series where I aim to break down what strategic thinking actually involves, to make it less abstract for those looking to transition into strategic leadership / executive roles.

This is part one of a six-part series where I aim to break down what strategic thinking actually involves, to make it less abstract for those looking to transition into strategic leadership / executive roles.