Serve Up, Coach Down

Book summary

Nathan Jamail is a management consultant, corporate coach, and former sales professional. Through his best-selling business books, workshops, and keynotes, Jamail shares his strategies for corporate success.

Juanita, a middle manager, is at risk of a professional misstep by opposing her boss’s decision not to replace a resigned team member. While she believes she’s acting in her team’s best interest by taking on extra work and planning to request a replacement, she is failing to "serve up"—a concept that involves aligning with and trusting her boss’s vision. Her resistance to redistributing the workload or encouraging her team to adapt has stifled their growth and efficiency. Serving up is not about blind agreement but about supporting organizational goals selflessly, unlike "sucking up," which is driven by personal gain. Similarly, Charles, another middle manager, excels at supporting his boss but neglects to inspire his team, resulting in mediocre performance. Effective middle management requires balancing support for leadership with empowering the team. This includes fostering collaboration across departments to combat silo mentalities, embracing change even when its purpose isn’t fully clear, and addressing the knowledge gap by coaching teams to apply new skills. Middle managers must also prioritize tasks wisely, focusing on long-term growth over immediate demands, and hold all team members accountable for their current contributions, ensuring loyalty to the collective success of the organization.

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