As we build our career in an organisation, we learn, acquire and practice many survival techniques. We learn to communicate better, make difficult decisions, increase our executive presence, motivate our teams and the like. However, one of the most critical survival skills and least talked about or taught, is “managing up.”
What is managing up?
Managing up is the ability to consciously work with our boss to build chemistry and obtain the best possible outcomes for the boss, for ourselves and the organisation. Please don’t get confused and assume I’m talking about buttering your bosses. There is no manipulation involved, or intended, and it doesn’t mean you become the boss’s toady. Far from it; it is about building a strong, trusted relationship with our bosses, that is key to our own engagement and contribution. How?
Here are some useful tips :
Communication : Communicating with the boss is more than corridor conversations or participating enthusiastically in meetings the boss convenes; it is about understanding the communication preferences and styles of your boss.
Some bosses are listeners, some are readers. Listeners want to hear the story first and a note later. Readers are just the opposite. You send them a note or email and go, meet and brief them later. And always check if the information you provided is enough or the boss needs more.
No Surprises : No one likes surprises (except when it is a gift) and your boss is no exception. Keeping the boss informed of all key project progress and hurdles is absolutely necessary. When things are not going as planned, it is all the more necessary to keep the boss informed, even when you have a plan in place to complete it on time.
It is more than likely that your boss will have some useful ideas that can help you. More importantly, if the boss gets to hear about the negative news — delay in projects, customer complaints and the like — from sources other than you, it becomes even more difficult to recover from the situation.
Always go with a solution, not just the problem : This is a time-tested wisdom in winning the confidence of the boss and building a trusted relationship. It shows your initiative and keenness in solving the problem, not just escalating it. Remember, your boss is human too and has his own set of challenges. Hence, your solution-focused conversation will win his favour and appreciation.
Understand his idiosyncrasies : Remember each of us is unique in how we approach situations and design solutions. The boss may have his unique approach and style to dealing with issues and managing things. Paying attention to the uniquely idiosyncratic ways of your boss and adjusting your style to it will make your life a lot easier and his as well.
Never ever do anything that makes your boss insecure : Obvious as it is, never say or do anything that sets off your boss’ insecurity. If his boss invites you for a quick chat, be gracious enough to keep your boss informed. It wards off any potential insecurity. If you notice your boss doing anything that will embarrass him later, bring it to his notice. It does not matter even if he chooses to persist. This is better than discussing it once he gets back.
Be trust-worthy : Keeping commitments, meeting schedules and sharing the extra workload that you see your boss struggling with and the like will go a long way here. Recognising your boss’s weakness and compensating for it without bragging about it outside is another powerful way to manage up.
Remember, your attitude towards a person creates that person. Managing up is not brown-nosing or currying undue favour with the boss. It is about making your life comfortable and contributing your boss’s and your success.