How to be a better boss

Workplaces have changed dramatically over the past four years, let alone the past 40. Teams have become more dispersed, thanks to remote work, as well as more diverse. Technology has brought with it great benefits but also constant interruptions, from endless Zoom calls to the ping of another message on Slack. After globalisation spread customers and suppliers around the world, geopolitical tension has made distant relationships seem like a new source of risk.

With each of these shifts, the job of the manager—the person tasked with getting workers with disparate interests to achieve a common goal—has become harder still. There was a time when managers could cope simply by being technical experts. Now they say they are juggling more tasks and have more activities to co-ordinate. Many report feeling burnt-out, overloaded and confused.