Managing up is the proactive effort to shape your relationship with your manager so both of you can achieve your goals. It involves understanding your boss’s priorities, communication style, and challenges, then adapting your approach to help support them while advancing your own objectives. This skill is a powerful tool for breaking through barriers and opening up opportunities for growth.
When Should You Manage Up?
Managing up is especially useful when you’re clarifying expectations, navigating organizational changes, you’re experiencing a conflict or advocating for new projects and resources. If you notice a gap between your team’s goals and your manager’s expectations, frequent misunderstandings, or see an opportunity to drive positive change, it’s a good time to practice managing up. Being proactive during performance reviews, team transitions, or strategic planning sessions can set the stage for ongoing success.
How to Manage Up Effectively
- Understand Your Manager’s Priorities and Goals. Take the time to learn what matters most to your supervisor. Ask questions and pay attention to what they emphasize in meetings or communications.
- Communicate Clearly and Frequently. Provide regular updates, address potential issues early, and approach conversations with solutions, not just problems.
- Adapt to Their Style. Notice how your manager likes to receive information—whether that’s brief emails, detailed reports, or face-to-face discussions—and tailor your communication accordingly. Be sensitive to whether they are open to spontaneous conversations or they rather you book time ahead of time.
- Seek Feedback and Act on It. Invite input on your work and show that you value their perspective by incorporating their suggestions.
- Demonstrate Initiative. Be willing to take on challenging assignments and bring forward ideas that support the organization’s goals, showing your commitment to collective success.
- Seek opportunities to help your supervisor shine. Whether it is speaking engagements, or nominating them for an award, these actions underscore your intention to support their career.
- When you seek approval for a project, budget or idea and you know your supervisor will have to run it up the flagpole, provide the necessary tools, data points or storytelling they will need to “sell” whatever it is to their own bosses.
Reflection and Leadership Growth
Reflection is a proven strategy for career development. The article “Learning by Thinking: How Reflection Aids Performance” from Harvard Business School Working Knowledge illustrates that thinking intentionally about your experiences helps you learn and perform more effectively. After managing up, take time to review what worked and what could be improved. Regular reflection will build your leadership skills and strengthen professional relationships.
Your Next Steps
Managing up is a skill that can be developed and refined throughout your career. By understanding your manager’s needs, communicating proactively and reflecting on experiences, you help advance your career while contributing to a vibrant workplace. Keep learning, build your network of allies, and remember—your initiative and leadership make a difference.
If you’re interested in strengthening these and other power skills, join our Step Up Program!
