Managing Upwards – Key strategies for managing upwards
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I’ve written on this before, but I’ve been thinking a lot of late about the very talented individuals I’ve had the good fortune to work for during my career. Some of whom have even worked for more than once.
I have been thinking about the impact they’ve had on my career. Did you know, for example that about 11% of people are in jobs or have been given opportunities based on relationships they have with a previous manager*.
Maintaining and developing these relationships can positively impact your career!
Don’t get me wrong, some managers are hard work and can be very difficult to work with. This is why I never look at a selection process as being a one-way process. Instead, it is partly about whether they want to hire you, but importantly about whether you can see yourself working for that person. Working alongside and getting to know the manager leads to building a relationship with them, and can lead to your future career success – so it’s important you make the right recruitment choice too!
But what about when you’re working with them? How can you maximise that relationship? Here are 5 key strategies you may find useful:
Take a sense check about your relationship with your manager – do you understand them as a person? Do you understand their agenda? Have you got their trust? Do you make them look good? Are you proactive?
* Based on Talent and Potential research
I have been thinking about the impact they’ve had on my career. Did you know, for example that about 11% of people are in jobs or have been given opportunities based on relationships they have with a previous manager*.
Maintaining and developing these relationships can positively impact your career!
Don’t get me wrong, some managers are hard work and can be very difficult to work with. This is why I never look at a selection process as being a one-way process. Instead, it is partly about whether they want to hire you, but importantly about whether you can see yourself working for that person. Working alongside and getting to know the manager leads to building a relationship with them, and can lead to your future career success – so it’s important you make the right recruitment choice too!
But what about when you’re working with them? How can you maximise that relationship? Here are 5 key strategies you may find useful:
- Understand them as a person. What are their strengths and weaknesses? What worries them? What bores them? What do they enjoy? What’s going on for them outside work? What things are they likely to procrastinate on? As you understand the answers to these questions you’ll begin to see how you can specifically add value to them. A good relationship has an element of yin and yang – and being the yin to your manager’s yang is what leads to it being highly productive.
- Understand their agenda. What is it your manager is trying to achieve and how can you support them with it? If they see that you support their agenda, or that your agenda overlaps and works towards theirs, then you’ll build a positive working relationship. If you disagree with their agenda, then it’s important you ask yourself if they’re the right person for you to be working for.
- Build their trust. We will cover this in more depth next time, but the key here is to recognise that trust isn’t always easily given. Consistently show them that you’re worthy of their trust and you’ll earn it.
- Make them look good. Spend time thinking about how you can promote your manager and get them moving forward in their career. If you do, this will have a big knock on effect in your own career. Here are three quick ideas:
- Talk them up to their manager;
- Help to make sure they are ready and prepped and have everything they need for what you’re helping them with; and
- Tell other people about their successes
- Seek forgiveness not permission. If there are things that need to be done – get on with them. Managers are highly impressed by proactivity and the upside often far outweighs and potential downside to showing your initiative.
Take a sense check about your relationship with your manager – do you understand them as a person? Do you understand their agenda? Have you got their trust? Do you make them look good? Are you proactive?
* Based on Talent and Potential research