Your manager has a lot on their plate. They’re in and out of meetings, checking emails, setting team objectives, overseeing budgets and projects, onboarding, tracking performance, and sharing results to their manager. That’s a lot for one person to do, let alone to do well.
What Is Managing Up (And Why Should You Care)?
Managing up is all about making your manager’s life easier
- Mary Abbajay, the author of Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss, told WSJ that “it is about learning how to work well with somebody who may work differently than you.”
Do An Honest Self-Assessment
Consider how your colleagues and your manager view you
Don’t Manipulate The Situation Or Others
Managing up isn’t managing above your immediate boss.
- You’re not trying to become your boss or show everyone how under-qualified they are compared to you.
- You are simply trying to help your colleagues and show that you are more qualified.
Don’t Add More To Your Manager’s Plate
Adding more work to your boss’ plate isn’t managing up effectively.
The Importance Of Improving Your Relationship With Your Boss
Having a less-than-great relationship with your manager isn’t doing you (or your career) any favors, especially if they have the power to fire you
- If you find your manager challenging to work with, try to think of what they’re teaching you about yourself
Working With Your Manager’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Like you, your manager has strengths, weaknesses, good and bad personality traits, and personal goals.
- The joy of being on a team is that everyone brings their strengths to the field and works together to watch for each other’s blind spots.
Do Get To Know Your Manager
Learn more about the human behind your manager
Do Adapt
You cannot change your manager, but you can change yourself and how you react to others. Work with your boss, rather than against them.
Real-Life Work Examples Of Managing Up
If your boss is bogged down with budgetary meetings and project planning, give them a quick update so that they are informed
- Point out a problem and propose simple solutions to solve it immediately
- Your manager will know that you have their back
How Managing Up Helps You And Your Career
The idea is that managing up is a win-win for you, your boss, your team, and your organization.
- Managing up is all about relationship-building with your boss
- They can put you on the biggest and most visible projects
- Teach you how to become a leader like them
- Help you fine-tune your skills
- See your own strengths and weaknesses
Don’t Keep Doing What Frustrates Your Manager
Use your power to remove obstacles that block you and your manager from having a positive, helpful relationship
- Don’t keep doing what you know frustrates them
- You’re trying to help them, not frustrate and challenge them unnecessarily
