Managing Up
Everyone has a boss. Well, almost everyone. And if you are one of those leaders
who are at “the top” you may want to still read on to recognize how those that
report to you are working very diligently at enhancing the skills they have to
manage up to you for the benefit of relationship, their success and the success of
the organization. If you are one of the many with a “boss—read on.
Managing up is not ego bolstering. It is not unauthentic comradery. It is not work
overload to prove your might. Rather, managing up is the presence and the effort
made to support your leaders in a way that makes them more successful and in
turn, you more successful. Period.
I get behind 3 concepts that have helped me and fellow colleagues in their process of
managing up that will impact your success as a leader and the trajectory of your
career. These three are keeping your word, clear and efficient communication, and
taking and accepting responsibility.
Keeping your word. Business. Meetings. Emails. Texts. Virtual. Conversations. So
many opportunities; communicate an idea, plan, goal and action. The best
relationships are one in which you are first thoughtful on what you share. Second is
to be careful to share what you will commit to.
Nothing will break trust faster than a broken promise. The obvious would be missing a
deadline on a specific project. Less obvious would-be touting standards you have for your team only to be inconsistent in the commitment to those standards. Example, timeliness, meeting preparation, follow up. Your leader is listening and watching. Communicate what you will commit to.
Clear and Efficient communication. Time. The greatest commodity of all successful
people. I’ve never met a successful leader that enjoys meetings that went long, emails
that dragged to get to point, or the do you have a second conversation in a doorway
that went on for 20 minutes. Develop the skills of courtesy, clarity and conciseness.
In other words, do not surprise but rather prepare your leader for the message
ahead of time for the courtesy of their thoughtfulness to the conversation. Ensure
you “begin the end in mind” so that the mutual outcome achieves the goal.
Lastly be succinct, assume you have less time to be effective and allow the leader to
ask for more.
Accepting responsibility. No one likes a blamer, a dodger, or an ego. There is never
a wrong time to accept responsibility and to shape it clearly and add a solution to
the interaction. When asked to execute, a simple “Got it....Done”. When being
approached on a failed endeavor, a simple “I need to do a better job and this is how
I am going to be more successful” is always in fashion. It is the 1-2 punch of the
verbal acceptance with a thoughtful reflective new approach will not only build
trust, it will also open up a chance for the leader to help. They simply will be more
emotionally motivated to work together on the solution due to not wasting energy on
frustration.
So, actions steps to improve how you manage up starts with giving yourself a grade
on these 3 concepts. If you see opportunity, how would you go about enhancing
your skills? Connect with an executive leadership coach and create mindsets and
skills to benefit you, the team and yes your leader! Enrich the relationship!