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The pandemic blew up everything we thought we knew about work, and the author encourages readers to use it as a catalyst to evolve their leadership mindset. He says many people still treat leadership like a thermostat: They believe the leader must carefully monitor everything their subordinates do, and when there is a deviation, take corrective action. The problem is, this approach to leadership creates an illusion of control - the idea that we can control our subordinates' every action while they're at work. The truth: We can't. The author provides three principles for building a culture of trust between workers and managers-and provides tips for giving employees more meaning, autonomy and freedom at work, which will improve productivity across the board.

Even in an age of relentless self-promotion, some extremely capable professionals prefer to avoid the spotlight. "Invisibles" work in fields ranging from engineering to interpreting to perfumery, but they have three things in common: They are ambivalent about recognition, seeing any time spent courting fame as time taken away from the work at hand. They are meticulous. And they savor responsibility, viewing even high pressure as an honor and a source of fascination. Something else unites Invisibles: They represent a management challenge. The usual carrots don't motivate them; however, managers can take several steps to ensure their satisfaction. Leaders should recognize who their Invisibles are; decide if they want more Invisibles on the team; reward them fairly, soliciting reports on their accomplishments; make the work more intrinsically interesting; and talk to the Invisibles about what works best for them. These actions are well worth taking, as Invisibles not only bring exceptional levels of achievement to an organization but quietly improve the work of those around them, elevating performance and tone across the board.