Ham In The Sandwich

Ham In The Sandwichhttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ham-in-the-sandwich--7257330That is the sandwich stage.Pressure from the top.
Pressure from below.
Expectations from every side.And somewhere in the middle is you.Welcome to H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional.In this introductory episode, Stella Uwaechue introduces the idea behind the diary and why this often-overlooked stage of professional life deserves a conversation of its own.We’ll explore what it means to:

Manage up, sideways and down
Navigate career transitions and pivots
Build relationships with mentors, sponsors and stakeholders
Stay relevant through learning and reinvention
Navigate workplace pressure and difficult environments
Balance career ambition with relationships, finances and life
Make sense of changing technology, AI and the future of work
Ask the harder questions about growth, identity, purpose and the seasons of life

Manage up, sideways and down
Navigate career transitions and pivots
Build relationships with mentors, sponsors and stakeholders
Stay relevant through learning and reinvention
Navigate workplace pressure and difficult environments
Balance career ambition with relationships, finances and life
Make sense of changing technology, AI and the future of work
Ask the harder questions about growth, identity, purpose and the seasons of life

Some episodes will be practical.
Some will be reflective.
Some may challenge how you see your career.

But all of them will come back to one question:

What does it really take to navigate the middle well?If you’re somewhere between “I’m still figuring this out” and “Apparently, I’m supposed to have figured this out by now,” you’re in the right place.

Welcome to the sandwich stage.

🎙️ Next Episode: Managing Up — When Your Boss Thinks You Have Everything Under Control.

If you've ever felt caught between expectations from above, responsibilities below, and a life of your own happening in between — follow H.I.T.S.

New diary entries drop twice a week - Tuesdays & Thursday.Hosted by Stella Uwaechue

Work. Leadership. Life.

Welcome to the sandwich stage. 🥪]]>false8c9a39dc-8183-5676-bf26-a9118a2101bcepisodicHITS 5 Moving Countries Mid-Careerhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hits-5-moving-countries-mid-career--74421006
You can be good at what you do.

You can have years of experience, a solid reputation, a strong track record — and still arrive somewhere new and feel like a beginner.

Not because you suddenly became less capable.

Because competence doesn't always travel with you.

Welcome to the fifth diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we explore what happens when you move countries in the middle of your career and discover that the things that made you successful in one environment don't automatically translate into another.

A new country can mean a new professional culture.

Different expectations.
Different communication styles.
Different networks.
Different qualifications.
Different ideas about what leadership looks like.

Even the way you introduce yourself professionally can change.

And suddenly, the career capital you spent years building can feel strangely invisible.

You know what you're capable of.

But the new environment doesn't know you yet.

That can be one of the hardest parts of starting over mid-career.

You aren't starting from scratch.

But you are starting from somewhere different.

So how do you rebuild professional credibility without abandoning the experience you've accumulated?

How do you build a network when you're the new person in the room?

How do you navigate being experienced enough to know your value, while humble enough to learn how things work in a new environment?

And perhaps the hardest question:

Who are you professionally when the context that shaped your career changes?

Moving countries can expose something we don't talk about enough:

Sometimes our professional identity becomes attached to a place, an industry, a network, a title, or a reputation.

Take those things away and you're forced to confront what actually belongs to you.

Your skills.
Your judgement.
Your adaptability.
Your character.
Your ability to learn.
Your capacity to build again.

This diary entry is about the discomfort of professional reinvention — and the realisation that starting over doesn't mean starting from nothing.

Because sometimes you don't need to rebuild your entire career.

You simply need to learn how to make your experience legible in a new world.

If you've ever had to rebuild your professional identity in a new country, industry or environment, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue
Work. Leadership. Life.
Welcome to the sandwich stage. ]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74421006Thu, 27 Aug 2026 22:29:06 +0000StellaH.I.T.S. Episode 5 — Moving Countries Mid-Career: When Competence Doesn’t Travel You can be good at what you do. You can have years of experience, a solid reputation, a strong track record — and still arrive somewhere new and feel like a beginner....
You can be good at what you do.

You can have years of experience, a solid reputation, a strong track record — and still arrive somewhere new and feel like a beginner.

Not because you suddenly became less capable.

Because competence doesn't always travel with you.

Welcome to the fifth diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we explore what happens when you move countries in the middle of your career and discover that the things that made you successful in one environment don't automatically translate into another.

A new country can mean a new professional culture.

Different expectations.
Different communication styles.
Different networks.
Different qualifications.
Different ideas about what leadership looks like.

Even the way you introduce yourself professionally can change.

And suddenly, the career capital you spent years building can feel strangely invisible.

You know what you're capable of.

But the new environment doesn't know you yet.

That can be one of the hardest parts of starting over mid-career.

You aren't starting from scratch.

But you are starting from somewhere different.

So how do you rebuild professional credibility without abandoning the experience you've accumulated?

How do you build a network when you're the new person in the room?

How do you navigate being experienced enough to know your value, while humble enough to learn how things work in a new environment?

And perhaps the hardest question:

Who are you professionally when the context that shaped your career changes?

Moving countries can expose something we don't talk about enough:

Sometimes our professional identity becomes attached to a place, an industry, a network, a title, or a reputation.

Take those things away and you're forced to confront what actually belongs to you.

Your skills.
Your judgement.
Your adaptability.
Your character.
Your ability to learn.
Your capacity to build again.

This diary entry is about the discomfort of professional reinvention — and the realisation that starting over doesn't mean starting from nothing.

Because sometimes you don't need to rebuild your entire career.

You simply need to learn how to make your experience legible in a new world.

If you've ever had to rebuild your professional identity in a new country, industry or environment, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue
Work. Leadership. Life.
Welcome to the sandwich stage. ]]>262a,abroad,abroad moving,adaptability workplace,career career,change professional,countries,culture building,for,growth professional,identity starting,mid-career international,moving,over career,professional,professionals career,reinvention working,relocation mid-career,transition career,work internationalfalse16fullHITS 4 Becoming a Beginner Againhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hits-4-becoming-a-beginner-again--74420987
There is a strange moment in your career when the thing that made you valuable yesterday can become the thing that makes tomorrow harder.

Your experience.

Your expertise.

Your confidence that you know how things work.

Until you enter a new industry, a new country, a new role, a new technology, or simply a new season of your career...

And suddenly, you're a beginner again.

Welcome to the fourth diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we explore what happens when experience stops being an advantage and you have to learn how to start learning again.

Because becoming a beginner as an adult is uncomfortable.

You are used to being competent.

People ask for your opinion.

You know how to solve problems.

You have built a reputation.

Then suddenly, you're asking questions you think you should already know the answers to.

Someone younger than you is teaching you.

Someone with less experience is moving faster than you.

A technology you barely understand is changing the rules.

And your instinct may be to protect the identity you've spent years building.

But there is a difference between being experienced and being unable to learn.

Experience should give you perspective.

It should not give you permission to stop being curious.

Sometimes the next level of your career requires you to become a beginner again — not because everything you've learned is irrelevant, but because what got you here cannot always get you there.

That means being willing to ask questions.

To admit what you don't know.

To learn from people who may have less experience but more relevant knowledge.

To experiment.

To make mistakes publicly.

And to resist the temptation to confuse familiarity with competence.

Because the middle of your career can create a dangerous illusion:

"I've been doing this long enough. I should already know."

But the world keeps changing.

Industries change.

Technology changes.

Roles change.

Organisations change.

And sometimes, you change.

The challenge isn't protecting the version of yourself that was once highly competent.

It's building the next version.

And that may require you to put your expertise down for a moment...and pick up curiosity instead.

If you've ever walked into a room where you were no longer the expert, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue

Work. Leadership. Life.

Welcome to the sandwich stage. ]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74420987Tue, 25 Aug 2026 06:27:25 +0000StellaEpisode 4 — Becoming a Beginner Again: When Experience Stops Helping There is a strange moment in your career when the thing that made you valuable yesterday can become the thing that makes tomorrow harder. Your experience. Your expertise. Your...
There is a strange moment in your career when the thing that made you valuable yesterday can become the thing that makes tomorrow harder.

Your experience.

Your expertise.

Your confidence that you know how things work.

Until you enter a new industry, a new country, a new role, a new technology, or simply a new season of your career...

And suddenly, you're a beginner again.

Welcome to the fourth diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we explore what happens when experience stops being an advantage and you have to learn how to start learning again.

Because becoming a beginner as an adult is uncomfortable.

You are used to being competent.

People ask for your opinion.

You know how to solve problems.

You have built a reputation.

Then suddenly, you're asking questions you think you should already know the answers to.

Someone younger than you is teaching you.

Someone with less experience is moving faster than you.

A technology you barely understand is changing the rules.

And your instinct may be to protect the identity you've spent years building.

But there is a difference between being experienced and being unable to learn.

Experience should give you perspective.

It should not give you permission to stop being curious.

Sometimes the next level of your career requires you to become a beginner again — not because everything you've learned is irrelevant, but because what got you here cannot always get you there.

That means being willing to ask questions.

To admit what you don't know.

To learn from people who may have less experience but more relevant knowledge.

To experiment.

To make mistakes publicly.

And to resist the temptation to confuse familiarity with competence.

Because the middle of your career can create a dangerous illusion:

"I've been doing this long enough. I should already know."

But the world keeps changing.

Industries change.

Technology changes.

Roles change.

Organisations change.

And sometimes, you change.

The challenge isn't protecting the version of yourself that was once highly competent.

It's building the next version.

And that may require you to put your expertise down for a moment...and pick up curiosity instead.

If you've ever walked into a room where you were no longer the expert, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue

Work. Leadership. Life.

Welcome to the sandwich stage. ]]>242a,again career,becoming,beginner,change starting,development continuous,growth mid-career mid-level,learning career,learning lifelong,management professional,mindset imposter,new,of,over learning,reinvention career,relevance career,skills adaptability future,syndrome ham,transition reskilling upskilli,work professionalfalse15fullHITS 3 Managing Downwardshttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hits-3-managing-downwards--74420924
Then you got it.

And suddenly, your success isn't measured only by what you can do anymore.

It's measured by what the people around you can do because you lead them.

Welcome to the third diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we’re talking about managing down — the part of mid-level leadership that requires you to move from being a high-performing individual to becoming responsible for the performance, growth and wellbeing of other people.

And that transition is not always as straightforward as it looks.

Because managing people means giving direction without micromanaging.

Holding people accountable without humiliating them.

Supporting your team without carrying their responsibilities for them.

Being approachable without becoming everyone's emotional dumping ground.

And sometimes, making decisions that people won't like.

The temptation in the middle is to become the manager you wish you had.

To protect your team from every difficult conversation.

To fix things yourself because it's faster.

To absorb pressure from above so your people don't have to feel it.

But leadership has a dangerous side:

If you keep rescuing people, you may eventually become the thing preventing them from growing.

Managing down isn't about having all the answers.

It's about creating an environment where people can do their best work, understand what is expected of them, take ownership, make mistakes, learn, and ultimately become less dependent on you.

And that requires something many new managers struggle with:

letting go.

You cannot develop people while doing everything for them.

You cannot build accountability while constantly making excuses for poor performance.

And you cannot lead sustainably if you are slowly losing yourself in the process of taking care of everyone else.

So where is the line between supporting your team and carrying your team?

When do you coach?

When do you correct?

When do you step in?

And when do you step back?

This diary entry is about learning that leadership is not about being needed for everything.

Sometimes, the greatest evidence that you're leading well is that your people can succeed without you standing over them.

If you've ever struggled with the difference between supporting your people and carrying them, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue

Work. Leadership. Life.

Welcome to the sandwich stage. 🥪
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74420924Thu, 20 Aug 2026 22:23:36 +0000StellaYou wanted the promotion. Then you got it. And suddenly, your success isn't measured only by what you can do anymore. It's measured by what the people around you can do because you lead them. Welcome to the third diary entry from the middle. In...
Then you got it.

And suddenly, your success isn't measured only by what you can do anymore.

It's measured by what the people around you can do because you lead them.

Welcome to the third diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we’re talking about managing down — the part of mid-level leadership that requires you to move from being a high-performing individual to becoming responsible for the performance, growth and wellbeing of other people.

And that transition is not always as straightforward as it looks.

Because managing people means giving direction without micromanaging.

Holding people accountable without humiliating them.

Supporting your team without carrying their responsibilities for them.

Being approachable without becoming everyone's emotional dumping ground.

And sometimes, making decisions that people won't like.

The temptation in the middle is to become the manager you wish you had.

To protect your team from every difficult conversation.

To fix things yourself because it's faster.

To absorb pressure from above so your people don't have to feel it.

But leadership has a dangerous side:

If you keep rescuing people, you may eventually become the thing preventing them from growing.

Managing down isn't about having all the answers.

It's about creating an environment where people can do their best work, understand what is expected of them, take ownership, make mistakes, learn, and ultimately become less dependent on you.

And that requires something many new managers struggle with:

letting go.

You cannot develop people while doing everything for them.

You cannot build accountability while constantly making excuses for poor performance.

And you cannot lead sustainably if you are slowly losing yourself in the process of taking care of everyone else.

So where is the line between supporting your team and carrying your team?

When do you coach?

When do you correct?

When do you step in?

And when do you step back?

This diary entry is about learning that leadership is not about being needed for everything.

Sometimes, the greatest evidence that you're leading well is that your people can succeed without you standing over them.

If you've ever struggled with the difference between supporting your people and carrying them, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue

Work. Leadership. Life.

Welcome to the sandwich stage. 🥪
]]>285challenges manager,development leadership,development managerial,down people,employees employee,employees workplace,growth management,in,leadership career,leadership effective,management delegation accounta,management leadership,management middle,management mid-level,management new,manager managing,managing,skills team,the,workplace coachingfalse14fullHITS 2 Managing Sidewayshttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hits-2-managing-sideways--73872223
You can manage your boss.

You can manage your team.

But what happens when the people you need to succeed don't report to you at all?

Welcome to the second diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we’re talking about managing sideways: navigating colleagues, peers, stakeholders and other teams when you have responsibility for the outcome but not necessarily the authority to make it happen.

Because collaboration sounds simple until priorities collide.

Your team has one deadline.

Another team has another.

Everyone agrees the work is important.

Everyone has their own version of urgent.

And somewhere in the middle, you are expected to make it all work.

This is where the politics no one admits begins to matter.

Who gets heard?

Who gets prioritised?

Who owns the decision?

Who gets the credit?

And what do you do when cooperation suddenly becomes a negotiation?

Managing sideways isn't about being agreeable.

It's about building influence without relying on hierarchy.It means learning how to negotiate priorities, manage expectations, understand competing incentives, build trust with peers, handle disagreement, and collaborate without constantly giving up what your team needs.

Because sometimes the hardest people to work with aren't difficult people.

They're simply people whose priorities are different from yours.And when there is no formal authority to fall back on, your ability to influence becomes part of your job.

In this episode, we explore what it really takes to collaborate across competing interests without becoming the person who always compromises.

Because being a good colleague doesn't mean saying yes to everything.Sometimes, collaboration means finding a way forward without losing sight of what matters.

If you've ever had to get something done through people you don't manage, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue

Work. Leadership. Life.

Welcome to the sandwich stage. 🥪]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73872223Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:26:25 +0000StellaEpisode 2 — Managing Sideways: Collaboration Without Compromise You can manage your boss. You can manage your team. But what happens when the people you need to succeed don't report to you at all? Welcome to the second diary entry from the middle....
You can manage your boss.

You can manage your team.

But what happens when the people you need to succeed don't report to you at all?

Welcome to the second diary entry from the middle.

In this episode of H.I.T.S. — Ham in the Sandwich, we’re talking about managing sideways: navigating colleagues, peers, stakeholders and other teams when you have responsibility for the outcome but not necessarily the authority to make it happen.

Because collaboration sounds simple until priorities collide.

Your team has one deadline.

Another team has another.

Everyone agrees the work is important.

Everyone has their own version of urgent.

And somewhere in the middle, you are expected to make it all work.

This is where the politics no one admits begins to matter.

Who gets heard?

Who gets prioritised?

Who owns the decision?

Who gets the credit?

And what do you do when cooperation suddenly becomes a negotiation?

Managing sideways isn't about being agreeable.

It's about building influence without relying on hierarchy.It means learning how to negotiate priorities, manage expectations, understand competing incentives, build trust with peers, handle disagreement, and collaborate without constantly giving up what your team needs.

Because sometimes the hardest people to work with aren't difficult people.

They're simply people whose priorities are different from yours.And when there is no formal authority to fall back on, your ability to influence becomes part of your job.

In this episode, we explore what it really takes to collaborate across competing interests without becoming the person who always compromises.

Because being a good colleague doesn't mean saying yes to everything.Sometimes, collaboration means finding a way forward without losing sight of what matters.

If you've ever had to get something done through people you don't manage, this episode is for you.

Follow H.I.T.S. — The Diary of a Mid-Level Management Career Professional for weekly conversations about work, leadership, life, and everything that happens in the middle.

Hosted by Stella Uwaechue

Work. Leadership. Life.

Welcome to the sandwich stage. 🥪]]>238false13fullHITS Intro Episodehttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hits-intro-episode--73830347𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

They're struggling with the middle. 🥪

There comes a stage in your career that no one really prepares you for.

You're no longer junior enough to be guided, but not senior enough to control the game.

You're expected to deliver results, manage teams, interpret strategy, satisfy leadership, keep learning, and still maintain a personal life.

It's the stage where pressure comes from every direction.

I call it 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡.

That's why I've created 𝐇.𝐈.𝐓.𝐒. (𝐇𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡) — 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫.Every challenge in this stage can be understood through three forces:

🏛️ 𝐇𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲 — navigating leadership, stakeholders, office politics, and influence.

🧭 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 — managing life transitions, relationships, career pivots, and identity.

🧠 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 — staying relevant through continuous learning, financial wisdom, and intentional growth.

Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing honest diary entries about the conversations many professionals are already having—but rarely say out loud.

🎙️ 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲.𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

If you've ever felt caught between expectations from above and responsibilities below...

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞.

I'm glad you're here.— 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐔𝐰𝐚𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐞

#HamInTheSandwich #DiaryOfAMiddleManager #Leadership #CareerGrowth #MiddleManagement #ProfessionalDevelopment #FutureOfWork #ManagingUp]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73830347Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:28:00 +0000Stella𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. They're struggling with the middle. 🥪 There comes a stage in your career that no one really prepares you for. You're no longer junior enough to be guided, but not senior enough to control the...𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.

They're struggling with the middle. 🥪

There comes a stage in your career that no one really prepares you for.

You're no longer junior enough to be guided, but not senior enough to control the game.

You're expected to deliver results, manage teams, interpret strategy, satisfy leadership, keep learning, and still maintain a personal life.

It's the stage where pressure comes from every direction.

I call it 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡.

That's why I've created 𝐇.𝐈.𝐓.𝐒. (𝐇𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡) — 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫.Every challenge in this stage can be understood through three forces:

🏛️ 𝐇𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲 — navigating leadership, stakeholders, office politics, and influence.

🧭 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 — managing life transitions, relationships, career pivots, and identity.

🧠 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 — staying relevant through continuous learning, financial wisdom, and intentional growth.

Over the coming weeks, I'll be sharing honest diary entries about the conversations many professionals are already having—but rarely say out loud.

🎙️ 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲.𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

If you've ever felt caught between expectations from above and responsibilities below...

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞.

I'm glad you're here.— 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐔𝐰𝐚𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐞

#HamInTheSandwich #DiaryOfAMiddleManager #Leadership #CareerGrowth #MiddleManagement #ProfessionalDevelopment #FutureOfWork #ManagingUp]]>158false11fullHITS 1 Managing Uphttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hits-1-managing-up--73830364𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

That sounds like a compliment.

Until you realise it might be the reason you're drowning.

Because the more competent you become, the more people assume you can handle.More pressure.

More ambiguity.
More responsibility.

And sometimes, you say yes before you even know what you're saying yes to.

That's when competence becomes a trap.🎙️ 𝐇.𝐈.𝐓.𝐒. 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏 — 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲: 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

I unpacked the uncomfortable lesson I had to learn:𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐞𝐬.

𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲.Episode 1 is out.If you've ever been the person everyone assumes can handle it...

T𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 🥪

#HamInTheSandwich #HITS #ManagingUp #MiddleManagement #CareerGrowth #Leadership
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73830364Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:07:12 +0000Stella𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. That sounds like a compliment. Until you realise it might be the reason you're drowning. Because the more competent you become, the more people assume you can handle.More pressure. More ambiguity. More...𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

That sounds like a compliment.

Until you realise it might be the reason you're drowning.

Because the more competent you become, the more people assume you can handle.More pressure.

More ambiguity.
More responsibility.

And sometimes, you say yes before you even know what you're saying yes to.

That's when competence becomes a trap.🎙️ 𝐇.𝐈.𝐓.𝐒. 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏 — 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲: 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

I unpacked the uncomfortable lesson I had to learn:𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐞𝐬.

𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲.Episode 1 is out.If you've ever been the person everyone assumes can handle it...

T𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 🥪

#HamInTheSandwich #HITS #ManagingUp #MiddleManagement #CareerGrowth #Leadership
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