Editor's note: This article appeared in the December 22, 2009, edition of Quirk's e-newsletter.

Researchers often find themselves in a unique position: the middle. From negotiating pricing to deciding how to deliver results, they are charged with the weighty task of keeping higher-ups, clients, team members and participants satisfied. Here are some tips from CEO and speaker Rhonda Savage's article "Are You Stuck in the Middle? How Today's Busy Managers Can Avoid Stress and Burnout," on how to lead with humor, sensitivity and a great attitude.
 
Go back to the basics. Get to know your client, your company and your team better. Don't be afraid to get down in the trenches to find out what the needs are.
 
Ask and provide honest feedback. Encourage an environment of transparency, where honesty is encouraged and never penalized, no matter how negative the "honesty" might be. Relaying dissatisfied client sentiment to higher-ups should be done without fear of punishment.
 
Be fair to your team. Researchers must confront issues and handle them in an efficient and balanced way without neglecting the needs of clients or executives. Keep the big picture in mind when making decisions.
 
Communicate every way you can. Constantly refine your communication abilities. Do you think you're over-communicating?  Research has shown that leaders actually under-communicate by a ratio of 1:10! Don't be afraid to use a variety of communication tools to meet the needs of everyone involved in the project - texting, memos, e-mails and one-on-one conversations - get creative!
 
Be enthusiastic and have fun! During tough times, it's easy to get bogged down by all the negatives in the workplace. You can't laugh and hold tension at the same time. Laughter softens how people feel and opens the door for learning.
 
Know when to make hard decisions. The middle-ground isn't always easy, and it means making tough choices like knowing which elements of a project - including employees - can be salvaged and which ones need to be let go.

Rhonda Savage can be reached at rhonda@dentalmanagementu.com.