Manage up. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase before.
I’ve done a lot of teaching on ‘managing up and across’ organizations. Most people think ‘managing up’ is about telling your boss what to do. It’s not. It’s about developing a productive working relationship in order to meet objectives and goals — yours and the organization’s!
In order to do this you must be aligned with both the organization and your boss. Do you believe in the mission? Do you believe in the work you're doing? Do you know the expectations and how you’ll execute?
Managing up is about building solid working relationships. Here are a few strategies to help.
Plan your one-on-one meetings. Come prepared with questions to address your specific needs.
Give your boss feedback. Be constructive. Be respectful, solution-oriented, and forward-thinking.
Find the connection between your work, your boss’s work and your organization’s mission.
Keep a running list of your work, assignments and achievements.
I teach strategies on ‘managing up’ — and many others topics — in an upcoming six-week online seminar called Lead with Influence.
