1 hr ago
Accenture India CHRO Shares Advice for Middle Managers
Middle managers help teams do their work and reach business goals.
Today, they also have to understand technology and changes in how work is done.
Lakshmi Chandrasekharan says they need to make thoughtful decisions and communicate clearly.
They should also show empathy and help people feel confident during change.
New managers need training because being good at an individual job does not automatically prepare someone to manage others.
Managers should balance the needs of the business with employees’ goals and future skills.
They also need to understand AI and help people work with AI tools while using human judgment.
Chandrasekharan says managers should keep learning, try unfamiliar tasks, and be willing to unlearn old habits.
Lakshmi Chandrasekharan says middle managers face greater ambiguity and complexity while managing people, technology, and transformation.
She identifies thoughtful decision-making, strategic communication, empathy, and change leadership as critical management skills.
Organizations should help new managers balance business needs, individual aspirations, and long-term capability building.
Managers need AI fluency and must learn to support effective human-agent collaboration while keeping human judgment central.
Chandrasekharan advises managers to stay curious, unlearn outdated approaches, experiment with AI, and make learning part of daily work.
- Who
- Lakshmi Chandrasekharan, Senior MD and CHRO of Accenture in India, discusses the skills middle managers need.
- What
- She offers advice on management, leadership development, AI fluency, and continuous learning.
- Where
- Accenture in India is identified as Chandrasekharan’s organization.
- When
- The article does not specify a date.
- Why
- Middle managers are increasingly expected to manage people, technology, and business transformation amid greater ambiguity and complexity.
Key facts
- Speaker
- Lakshmi Chandrasekharan
- Role
- Senior MD and CHRO of Accenture in India
- Core skills
- Thoughtful decision-making, strategic communication, empathy, and change leadership
- Manager development
- Balancing business needs, individual aspirations, and long-term capability building
- AI capability
- AI fluency and effective human-agent collaboration
- Learning advice
- Unlearn, learn, experiment with AI, and make learning part of daily work
- Broader development
- Understand how the business creates value and what matters to clients










