The best leaders don’t just manage down or sideways; they know when to manage up.
At times, a direct report must take the lead in managing up, especially when navigating a strained relationship with their manager. Doing so requires heightened self-awareness—knowing your strengths, recognizing the situations that trigger confrontational reactions, and understanding your manager’s patterns and tendencies.
Managing up does not just affect your personal growth; it directly impacts your team’s performance and your organization’s outcomes. By taking ownership of the relationship, you set a standard of leadership that extends beyond your immediate role.
The process may not be easy, and it may be uncomfortable, but it is worth the effort.
Managing Up
Build a sustainable business relationship with your manager by engaging as follows:
Clarify Priorities.
Proactively confirm what success looks like for the team and organization—the business priorities and how success is measured, including standards for meeting and exceeding expectations. Develop a consistent track record of delivering business-aligned outcomes.
Anticipate the Manager’s Needs.
Pay attention to what your manager says and does—how they approach deadlines and decisions, manage pressure situations, and navigate business relationships. Position yourself to provide meaningful information or solutions early, supporting the manager in achieving their goals. Build a mutually respectful relationship by showing genuine interest and proactive support.
Frame Issues with Solutions, Not Problems.
When surfacing challenges, propose a solution alongside the problem situation. Equally crucial is adopting a “no surprises” approach to addressing a problem. Communicate early, often, and completely. Doing so builds trust and reinforces your role as a contributor, not a complainer.
Practice Diplomacy.
Knowing yourself informs your communications and interactions. Strike a balance between being direct and nonconfrontational. Provide constructive, timely insights that help your manager lead more effectively, especially when it impacts the team and the organization’s performance. Being direct yet compassionate demonstrates to your manager that your feedback originates from a place of authenticity and care, an approach aligned with Radical Candor (Scott, 2017).
Model the Culture You Want to Experience.
Your interactions can set the tone for how others engage with the manager and demonstrate your commitment to collegial interactions. As you demonstrate the essential values that many organizations embrace—integrity, respect, teamwork, accountability, and excellence—you become a catalyst for change and a healthier team climate.
Call to Action
Organizations thrive when leaders emerge at every level of the business. Managing up is not just a skill; it’s a contribution to stronger teams and better results.
Lead yourself. Lead others. Lift performance.
At End View Solutions, we partner with organizations to unlock leadership potential, elevate teams, and drive sustainable results. Our services equip leaders at every level to model effective behaviors, mentor others, and multiply their impact.
Feel free to contact us for a complimentary consultation.
Reference:
Scott, K. (2017). Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Lillian Davenport, SPHR, SHRM – SCP, MGSCC, Principal, End View LeadershipSM
