How to manage up at work
Without being that annoying person everyone secretly loathes...
Welcome back! Today I’m sharing some practical ways you can achieve one of the most challenging things you’ll encounter as an aspiring leader.
The header of course gives it away…
Picture the scene, because I know you’ve been there. You’ve been given a juicy project to manage at work, which is great. You’re in charge. Fantastic.
You have a million things to think about, but you’re ready. It’s all within your grasp. Except for one thing.
Your boss (insert any senior stakeholder here) isn’t doing what they need to do, in the time they need to do it. This could be giving you timely feedback, checking off their actions on your project list, or engaging with that specific stakeholder that’s tricky to handle. Without their actions completed, the project can’t move forward.
We all know that managing up is key to being seen as someone to watch at work. It shows off your leadership skills, that you are able to delegate and that crucially, you’re not afraid of managing senior stakeholders in order to achieve collective goals.
But there’s a fine art to it. Get it right, and you’re all those things listed above and more. The “high potential” quadrant when it comes to leadership and succession conversations.
Get it wrong and you’re that annoying person in the office who everyone secretly loathes but tolerates. That your manager seeks to avoid rather than engage with. The “squeaky wheel”.
That thinks the way to “manage up” is to play act like you’re the boss, without behaving like a boss.
Which one do you want to be this year?
After the jump, I’m sharing the strategies and tips I’ve used over the years to manage up (including to challenging CEOs!) and that I coach aspiring leaders on now in my practice.
But before that, a quick heads up.
Next week, there’ll be TWO editions of Lead with Intention - your Thursday premium email will run as usual and I’ll also be sharing a free post for everyone, on one of the topics I am asked most about as a leadership coach.
If you want to get the full leadership scoop every week, then try a free 7 day trial as a paid subscriber. For £5 a month, you get access to tips you can actually use as an aspiring leader. And the more paid subscribers we have, mean I can run coaching events for the community.
Now, ways to manage up. Without being annoying AF. Let’s go!