Most Recent Blog Archives | Customized Employee Training for St. Paul and Minneapolis Businesses

Beth SchaeferMarch 31, 2026Most Recent Blog, Professional Development and Career Advancement Blog

A.I. – Am I Right?

By: Beth Schaefer, IPD Director

A few years ago, I wrote an article about the value of the curmudgeon in the workplace. One of the values is that the curmudgeon is willing to say what others are reluctant to say, but are thinking. Today, I put on my curmudgeon hat to say that I have so many questions on how AI will shape the workplace that I should just write a stand-up routine about it rather than an article.

AI – Am I right?

“AI, a Fitbit, and Crypto Currency walk into a bar…”

“Knock, Knock.

Who’s There?

“AI”

“AI Who?”

“AI hope you’re ready because I have already written your project management plan, turned your spreadsheet into a pivot table, and helped you write this joke.”

I admit it. I have been avoiding writing about the topic of AI in the workplace. Topic? That is the wrong word… infiltration.

And that is my first problem with AI: it is becoming so ingrained in the workplace that it is hard to pretend it is not there, looking over my shoulder, waiting to kibitz. If I do not embrace AI, will the workplace future pass me by? But if I leverage AI, then each time I use it, am I actually feeding it the information it needs to replace me and make my role obsolete? I hear about how corporate is using special AI platforms that protect their intellectual property and innovations.

My trivia partner can wax poetically about how he uses AI to write code, test code, and collaborate on code to more quickly and accurately improve software for his transportation firm. And, how glad he is that he will retire before his job is replaced by AI.
I have heard that statistics as high as 87% of organizations are using AI to do their hiring, including interviews. Job-seekers wisely started using AI to submit materials and provide answers to interview questions. And, now that AI is talking to AI and all the candidates are indistinguishable, they are moving back to using people to do hiring again.
One of my instructors told me about an organization that uses AI to examine data on how train tracks wear out and how frequently to repair the tracks based on the size of the damage and the weather, and then built a machine that can cruise down the tracks, making some repairs, but ignoring others that can go longer without impacting performance. OK – that sounds pretty cool.

I am not seeing those types of sophisticated uses in my organization, but that does not mean it is not happening, because AI can be sneaky.

And that brings me to the second problem with AI; I do not understand how it works. My workplace provides access to Copilot. I also have a personal Copilot subscription that I use at home. I have heard that different AI platforms are better at different skill sets (much like people), but I still have many questions:

Where does the information come from?
Am I stealing someone else’s work?
Is it ethical?
Do I have to announce every time AI gives me the assist?
If we quit providing original content to the internet, will we enter a collective closed information loop that is stuck in 2026?
How much of the water supply am I using up each time I use AI at work?

On the other hand, I do not really understand how I can both see and talk to my friends living in other states without the use of lines or cables, and I use that technology. I still remember when Jane Jetson put on her public face to talk on her video phone that was plugged into the wall, and we thought that was far-fetched. I have clearly embraced wi-fi as I am currently working remotely from home in my blouse and sweatpants – thinking about how antiquated the Jetsons have become.

And, not quite knowing how AI gets information, brings me to my third problem; it is not always right – sometimes it uses falsehoods. I try to be aware, use common sense, and check what it tells me. I ask it to provide its sources so that I can check their credibility and AI’s accuracy in interpreting the information, but… I am not sure that everyone is doing that.

And because AI prevaricates without even being aware that it does, my fourth problem is that I have AI trust issues. Does AI have my best interests as its goal? Apparently, AI has been in my life for years, but through a third party in the background – not directly tapped by me with questions or commands. It has already been affecting what I see when I search the internet based on my previous searches. It gives me suggestions of what to buy on Amazon based on what I purchased before. Yet, I can watch Anne of Green Gables on Netflix, and it says, based on Anne of Green Gables, you should watch The Imperfects. Should I, or is AI trying to offload low-performing shows? Who is AI actually working for? Is it me?

And, because AI uses alogorithms – it’s filled with bias. It can be easy to view AI as neutral, but it’s not. AI uses what it believes it already knows about us to provide information that it thinks we want to hear. Do we need another Yes person in the workplace? The AI on my home laptop focuses only on recipes that can go into the freezer because twice I have asked it for freezer-friendly recipes. AI – you do not know me like that!

To sum it up… AI is –

after my job
difficult to understand
sometimes lying to me
giving me bad advice
just telling me what it thinks I want to hear

Maybe instead of AI training, I need to take a course on Dealing with the Difficult Coworker.

Options From the IPD

All
Business Architecture Expert Insights
Change Webinar - Past Expert Insights
Expert Insights - archives
Leadership and
leadership and strategy EI
Other EI
past webinar
webinar

Change Management Vs Change Leadership: What’s the Difference? | April 2026 Expert Insights Webinar

Explore both the leadership and management aspects of change

Business Transformation: Organizing Chaos | Past Expert Insights Webinar

Practical tips and techniques, such as business architecture, to help plan for the unexpected.

Beth SchaeferOctober 1, 2025Leadership and Strategy Blogs, Most Recent Blog

Middle Manager Series Wrap Up – Grounded in the Middle | Middle Management Blog

Grounded in the Middle

By Beth Schaefer

I started this series by talking about how much I enjoy my job being Stuck in the Middle. And, despite all the Middle Management dilemmas that I have been writing about, I still love my role in middle management.

I hope that the series has helped middle managers by:

Affirming your importance in your organization
Acknowledging the work you do
Providing ideas on how to sustain your quality performance

And maybe even…

Providing information that you can use to influence your organization to appreciate you or support you with process that helps, rather than hinders, your work.

As I think about how to “tie a bow” on this series, let me leave you with some tips to build resiliency and stay grounded as you continue in your role of being the shock absorbers for your organizations during these times of change, ambiguity, and added pressure.

7 Suggested Resiliency Practices for Middle Managers

Name your stressors

Acknowledge what is hard and difficult about your work and do not pretend that it is easy.

For me, new software implementations continue to disrupt. They require my team to muck through the unknown often only equipped with open-source videos from YouTube, eventually, define new processes that works, draw up a swim lane, streamline the new processes, and then document the processes. It just takes a lot of time and the gains are not always clear.

2. Build a support network

Connect with peers who are also middle managers and understand the challenges of the role.

For me, I have a fellow Middle Manager that does a Zoom coffee chat with me about every 3 weeks. We are remote workers who live in different states, but that does not prevent us from being mutual mentors. I also have some leaders higher up in the organization that I lean on to help me navigate the office politics – something I would avoid entirely if I could.

3. Manage Your Energy

Identify what drains you and what fuels you. Consider bookending your days, when possible, with the fuels.

For me, whenever possible, I like to start my day (not by checking email because there is plenty of research on how that is not productive) with the fuel of writing. I sit quietly with coffee and write these articles, write website content, write training proposals, write project plans, write procedures… there is actually quite a bit of writing as a middle manager. I like to end my days using the fuel of my people with team meetings or with direct report check-ins. These often include laughter and intentional naming of positive nuggets at work or in life for daily mini-celebrations at the end of the workday.

4. Rely on Routine

Build routines so that you do not need to put energy into managing every minute of each day.

In addition to project management software to help keep me organized, I have a weekly to-do list that I fill out each Friday afternoon for the next week. This to-do list comes with built in routines – such as sending a project update email to my instructors each Wednesday morning. The easier I can make routine things, the more brain power I have for the unique challenges.

5. Normalize Setbacks

Talk with your team about past successes that first started with setbacks.

For me, this is hard. I can be easily discouraged. I sometimes need to rely on my team to help me remember when something that is optimized now was once a struggle that experienced lots of stops and starts before “sticking.” Our Expert Insights webinars were once irregular, postponed, and not well-publicized, but now they are part of our department framework.

6. Practice Space and Grace

Provide a safe space – emotionally – for your team to vent emotions. Provide grace for mistakes with support to prevent mistake repetition.

For me, I find it much easier to give others Space and Grace than myself. However, the beauty of Space and Grace is that when you give it others, they give it back to you.

7. Watch free IPD webinars on Building Resiliency

Use the webinars for yourself, but send the links to your team members who may need some respite from workplace pressures. Show them you care.

And finally…

While this is not a researched tactic, sometimes I ask myself, “Who else could do this role with my legacy of knowledge of the products and process, my passion for the work and quality customer service, my intentional efforts to develop the people around me, and my dedication to this role and not the next one?” And, seeing the short list, I keep moving forward to tackle the challenges of the Middle.

Middle Manager Dilemma #5 – Professional Development | Middle Management Blog

Back to School – Investing in Your Own Growth and Your Team’s Too

By Beth Schaefer

Middle Managers seldom have spare time, so how does taking professional development time and spending less time on operations equal more success?

In fall, my thoughts return to back-to-school. Sure, I work at a university so that makes sense, but I also have family members returning to school; my neighborhood is gearing up for school; and I am shopping back-to-school sales since everything is considered a back-to-school supply and is offered at a great price.

That makes fall a good time to ponder your own growth and development. As Middle Managers, we tend to focus on making sure that those around us have what they need to be successful, but we do not always take the time to think about what we need to be better at our work. Experience and doing are wonderful teachers, but at some point, getting information from outside your silo can help you see new and better ways to approach your work.

One of my favorite soccer coaches always said that practice makes permanent, not perfect. If you have been doing something the same way a long time, you may be on autopilot and not seeing that you could be better. For many of us in middle management, those neglected skills tend to be coaching and leading. Many of us were promoted for our technical expertise and did not spend much time learning how to motivate and engage people in their work.

Of course, I would love to see you take some professional development workshops from IPD, but here are some additional ideas to consider:

Set a quarterly learning goal. Finish Q 4 strong by setting a goal to learn more about 1 leadership strategy or technical skill.
Find a peer mentor. Look for another leader who is willing to meet and discuss middle manager dilemmas and solutions. Perhaps, review some of the articles in this series as a springboard to discussion.
Create learning bursts for your team. By preparing a tip or strategy to help your team and presenting it at team meetings, you will also learn that tip or strategy better. One of our recorded webinars could be a starting point.

If you are like me, and still feeling guilty about focusing on your own growth instead of your work, here are some gains your team will get from your professional development:

You model curiosity. One of the demands of the workplace is that we are critical thinkers. Taking time to learn new things demonstrates that curiosity is a desirable quality and the first step to being a critical-thinking problem-solver.
You show the importance of learning. Celebrate skill wins in your team meetings. Most organizations have options for professional development: money available for training and certificates, free internal training options, or tuition reimbursement. By using these options and talking about what you are learning in team meetings, you will help your team be aware of steps they can take for their own professional growth.
You build a stronger team. While I am not a fan of trust falls or obstacle courses to build teams, I do think spending time learning together builds a stronger team. The team not only learns new skills, but taking people out of their everyday workspace, production goals, and to-do lists, creates opportunity to learn more about each other in a relaxed and fun environment. Conversations create empathy. Empathy leads to more team cooperation and collaboration when returning to the demands of the job.

Years back, there was a local radio ad that talked about developing workers. The ad addressed the question, What if I use resources to develop my team members, and they leave? Instead, the ad flipped the question and asked, What if I do not develop my team members, and they stay?

In the book Strengths Based Leadership, the author provides research that suggests that strong leaders do not approach leadership the exact same way; however, one thing they do have in common is they encourage the next generation of leaders by providing the space and grace for their team members to grow professionally and personally.

Learning isn’t a luxury; it’s a leadership necessity. Middle Managers who invest in their own professional development build stronger teams and more resilient careers.

Middle Manager Dilemma #4 – Workspace | Middle Management Blog

Workspace: Return to Office Vs Remote Office

By Beth Schaefer

Return to Office vs Remote Office rectangle

Us Vs Them

For some middle managers, this is a non-issue. You are leading a hospitality/customer service division, manufacturing, construction/installation, healthcare, or a similar field that requires all your staff to be physically on site to do their work. For other Middle Managers, the office vs. remote workspace has become a quagmire of us vs. them.

Your Preference

My own workspace went remote a few months before the pandemic shut down all office work. To save money on an office lease, I volunteered my department to work remotely because the majority of our interactions took place with external customers who only came to our offices for classroom training. I often was out and about visiting companies that wanted training at their own sites, so my own office was often empty. Even though I was convinced that I would hate being a remote worker, I made the change to be a team player for the organization to save money.

As I turned out, I love being a remote worker.

I am much much much more productive working in the solace of my home office.

I spend more time at my desk because I am not commuting.
When I go to the “break room” for more tea or coffee, I am not sidetracked with coworker conversations or office drama.
Even though I maintain an open-door policy, nobody from my staff ever walks in (hehehe).

I thought being remote would have me lean into my workaholic tendencies, when, in fact, I am as close as I have ever been to achieving the allusive work/life balance, or could I even say life/work balance?

And, this is part of the office vs remote dilemma for middle managers – you probably have a strong preference for your own workspace, and you need to manage that bias when you leading workspace decisions or changes.

Team Preference and Expectations

Many of you may have had similar situations. Many of your staff started working remotely during the pandemic, and loved it while others are very excited about returning to the office. Half of my staff was hired since the switch to the remote office with the understanding that their roles would be remote. They would be very surprised to find out they needed to suddenly report to a physical office.

For the Middle Manager, the Return-to-Office orders are about employee engagement and retention. When you manage to find quality workers who are reliable and productive, it is painful to have them leave because they do not see value in commuting to the office – even if it is just for a few days each week.

Find the WHY

For the Organization, the Return-to-Office orders are about their employees being… well, that is the question. As a Middle Manager, if you can get the real WHY behind an organization’s decision, it gives you more options to navigate the situation between the declaration and your people. See our free webinar: The Change Chart for the WHY and other change navigation tools. Getting to the root cause will help you provide solutions to navigate the Return-To-Office orders.

WHY? If your Return-To-Office is about collaboration…

“Collaboration” seems to be the go-to messaging (because who is going to say that you need less collaboration?) for return to office. If your team is excited about being in the office and collaborating, you are good to go; if not, here are some options to try:

Collect details on exactly what sort of collaboration the company is looking for – with whom and what for. Provide a plan on how you can make that happen without requiring remote workers to commute to the office.
Provide examples of how alternating days in the office, or people living long distance, or workers being in different buildings still have most meetings taking place on a virtual platform even when people are in the office.
If your organization insists that informal causal meetings in the breakroom are vital to collaboration, make sure your office space actually has attractive break room options. If those spaces have disappeared or are clinical and perfunctory, the collaborative conversations will not be plentiful nor fruitful.
If your office is no longer there to return to – replaced by cubes or hoteling spaces so that more people can be fit into a smaller space, point to the numerous studies that show that a lack of private office space has the opposite effect of collaboration and decreases informal interaction.

WHY? If the Return-To-Office is about productivity…

If you have team members that have let you know, directly or indirectly, that they will leave if their remote status changes, here are actions you can try:

1. Ask your team to provide evidence that they are more productive working remotely than in the office. Provide that evidence to your leaders to emphasize your team’s productivity.

2. You may want to show operational savings with calculations of cost per square foot for the amount of space your team would use for proper office and desk space.

3. Talk with your own supervisor on how many people you think you will lose and make suggestions for a solution such as a hybrid team. According to author Matt Tenney it takes 6 – 9 months’ salary to replace a departed worker. For an employee making 60K, plan it costing 30 – 45K to replace someone who leaves to maintain their remote status with another organization.

4. Maybe your peer Middle Managers do not know how to manage and measure production without actually seeing people at their desks. Suggest your organization provide training on remote managing.

And, if after all your efforts, you are still ordered to return to the office, it is time to switch gears to change management – specifically, finding the What’s In It For Me (WIIFM) for each of your team members and see if you can show them a vision that encourages them to stay with your department. Our Leading Teams through Change training can help you with that.

Most Recent Blog

A.I. – Am I Right?

By: Beth Schaefer, IPD Director

AI – Am I right?

Options From the IPD

Change Management Vs Change Leadership: What’s the Difference? | April 2026 Expert Insights Webinar

Business Transformation: Organizing Chaos | Past Expert Insights Webinar

Middle Manager Series Wrap Up – Grounded in the Middle | Middle Management Blog

Grounded in the Middle

7 Suggested Resiliency Practices for Middle Managers

And finally…

Read More Middle Management Blogs Here:

Middle Manager Dilemma #5 – Professional Development | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #4 – Workspace | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #3 – Organizational Change | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #2 – Why Bother With Performance Evaluations? | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #1 – Delegation | Middle Management Blog

Support Middle Management | Middle Management Blog

Middle Managers Are Like Oreos | Middle Management Blog

Stuck in the Middle? | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #5 – Professional Development | Middle Management Blog

Back to School – Investing in Your Own Growth and Your Team’s Too

Read More Middle Management Blogs Here:

Middle Manager Dilemma #4 – Workspace | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #3 – Organizational Change | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #2 – Why Bother With Performance Evaluations? | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #1 – Delegation | Middle Management Blog

Support Middle Management | Middle Management Blog

Middle Managers Are Like Oreos | Middle Management Blog

Stuck in the Middle? | Middle Management Blog

Middle Manager Dilemma #4 – Workspace | Middle Management Blog

Workspace: Return to Office Vs Remote Office