Managing Up - Building a Better Relationship with your Manager

In today's fast-paced corporate world, many of us are juggling our roles, projects, and tasks efficiently. But here's a question - how much attention do we give to the dynamics of our relationship with our managers?

'Managing up' might sound like another bit of corporate jargon, but when you master it, it will change your mindset and relationships.

What is 'Managing Up'?

It’s the art of managing your relationship with your boss or superiors, ensuring that you’re aligned on expectations, and proactively addressing potential areas of friction, without letting things get in the way of your relationship. It's not about agreeing to everything or being the teachers pet, but genuinely understanding and complementing your managers’ strengths and weaknesses.

Why Bother?

1. Better Relationships: We spend too much time at work, and with managers to have constant friction and issues. Less stress and more of a partnership is always better.
2. Career Advancement: Demonstrating that you can effectively work with and for your boss (and other seniors around the business) places you in a favorable position.
3. Improved Work Environment: Aligning with your manager often results in a more harmonious team / relationship.
4. Greater Influence: Developing a solid rapport can lead to more opportunities to voice your ideas and share your knowledge, with the understanding it will be listened to and taken into account.

So, how can you “Manage Up?”

• Know Your Boss: Understand their communication preferences, work styles, priorities, and pain points. Does your boss prefer email updates or face-to-face chats? Knowing this helps in anticipating their needs and addressing them effectively.

Example: If your manager is a visual person, presenting data in a chart or graph form rather than a bulky report can earn you brownie points!

• Communicate Proactively: Always keep your manager in the loop. Regular updates will make you more responsible and accountable, it also reduces any potential surprises hitting their inbox or them being caught off guard in a meeting if they don’t know something. Make them look better!

Example: If you're running behind on a project, inform your manager beforehand with reasons and a new timeline, rather than waiting for them to ask. Another would be if you know there is an escalation coming, give them a heads up, own it or give them context so they can support your position.

• Seek Feedback Actively: Many managers are not always forthcoming with feedback, and sometimes people only hear feedback when it’s bad. Make it a habit to ask for it. This not only showcases your eagerness to grow but also helps you realign if required.

Example: After finishing a crucial project, set up a quick debrief meeting to discuss what went well and areas of improvement.

• Adaptability is Key: Be ready to adjust your working style to match or complement your boss's. This doesn’t mean losing your identity but being flexible enough to ensure a smooth working relationship. In the book “The Speed of Trust”, by Stephen M.R. Covey, he explains that by giving trust, you are showing confidence in the other persons integrity and capability. This can foster a culture of trustworthiness and encourage reciprocal behavior. In essence, when we believe in and trust others, they are more likely to trust us back, leading to more effective and efficient relationships

Example: If your boss is more of a night owl and sends late-night emails or they might be based in a different time-zone, you don’t necessarily need to reply instantly, however, acknowledging it at your earliest opportunity would be beneficial.

• Anticipate Needs and Be Solutions-Oriented: Instead of always presenting problems, go with solutions, or at the very least some details on what you have tried already as a solution. If you foresee an issue, think of ways to solve it before discussing it with your boss, or go back to the point above about communication.

Example: If there's an issue with a vendor, instead of just stating the problem, offer two or three potential solutions and seek their input and opinion.

• Build Trust: “The One Thing that Changes Everything.” This is fundamental. Always be honest, keep your commitments, and be reliable. When trust is established, managing up becomes significantly smoother.

The book, The Speed of Trust, mentioned above, dives into the foundations of trust, it’s importance and how it effects (and changes) everything. Highly recommended.

So for me 'Managing up' is about fostering a positive, productive relationship with your superiors. It's a two-way street though, and requires understanding, communication, and trust.

Hopefully this is helpful, and remember it's not just about managing those below you, but those above you too.

Liked this article? Feel free to share it across and drop your thoughts in the comments section below!