The Squeezed Middle

The Squeezed Middle

From Tap'd Talks HR by Tap'd Solutions

February 23, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the complexities of the middle manager role and the essential skills needed for modern management.

In this episode of Tap’d Talks HR, Anthony welcomes back Gary Cookson, founder of Epic HR and author of Making Hybrid Working Work, to discuss his latest book: The Squeezed Middle. They explore why the middle manager role has become more complex than ever, together with the “invisible work” managers do that never appears in job descriptions, and the skills modern managers need to thrive today from sense-making to emotional intelligence.

People in this episode

Host: Anthony

Guest: Gary Cookson

Topics covered

  • middle management
  • hybrid working
  • emotional intelligence
  • invisible work
  • manager skills

Keywords

  • middle manager
  • hybrid work
  • emotional intelligence
  • manager skills
  • invisible work

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Epic HR

Books & works: Making Hybrid Working Work, The Squeezed Middle

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