Product Design Reference

Managing Up

Overview

Managing up is the skill of effectively working with and influencing those above you in the organisational hierarchy. It involves building strong, productive relationships with your managers to help both of you succeed in your roles. Rather than just completing tasks assigned to you, managing up is about proactively engaging with your manager, anticipating their needs, and aligning your work with their goals and the wider business objectives.

By effectively managing up, you can create a more productive, aligned, and successful working relationship with your manager, leading to better results for you, your team, and the organisation as a whole.

Why is Managing Up Important?

  • Improves communication: By managing up, you help establish clear communication channels with your manager, ensuring that expectations are understood and met.

  • Boosts productivity: When both you and your manager are aligned, it reduces misunderstandings and increases efficiency.

  • Career growth: Managing up can enhance your visibility and reputation within the company, showcasing your leadership potential.

  • Contributes to team success: By understanding the priorities and pressures your manager faces, you can contribute more meaningfully to team and organisational goals.

How to Manage Up

1. Understand Your Manager's Goals

Start by gaining a deep understanding of your manager’s objectives and priorities. How do their goals fit into the company’s broader strategy? By aligning your work with what they are trying to achieve, you can provide better support and add value.

Tips:

  • Ask your manager about their goals during one-on-one meetings.

  • Pay attention to what they emphasise in meetings and communications.

  • Understand their key performance indicators (KPIs).

2. Adapt to Their Communication Style

Not all managers communicate in the same way. Some prefer brief updates, while others may want detailed reports. Take time to observe how your manager communicates and tailor your approach to match their preferences.

Tips:

  • If they prefer emails, keep updates concise but informative.

  • If they enjoy face-to-face discussions, schedule regular check-ins.

  • Be mindful of how they give and receive feedback.

3. Anticipate Needs and Solve Problems

Managing up means thinking ahead. Try to anticipate your manager's needs by being proactive. If you foresee a potential challenge or bottleneck, raise it early along with possible solutions.

Tips:

  • Stay ahead of deadlines.

  • When identifying problems, suggest solutions to save your manager time.

  • Proactively offer to take on tasks that you know align with their priorities.

4. Provide Regular Updates

Keeping your manager informed without being prompted is key to managing up. Don't wait for your manager to ask for updates; provide them regularly, especially on high-priority tasks. This builds trust and demonstrates your accountability.

Tips:

  • Use weekly status reports to summarise your progress.

  • Communicate both successes and challenges, showing transparency.

  • If there’s a delay, explain why and how you plan to address it.

5. Align Expectations

Clear expectations ensure that you and your manager are on the same page. Set clear objectives at the start of a project or task, and confirm deliverables, timelines, and quality standards.

Tips:

  • Recap important points at the end of meetings to ensure understanding.

  • Clarify how success will be measured for each task.

  • Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if you’re unsure about expectations.

Best Practices

  1. Be Solution-Oriented Instead of simply presenting problems, bring solutions. This helps your manager focus on decision-making rather than problem-solving.

  2. Take Ownership Demonstrate initiative by owning your tasks and projects fully. Your manager should feel confident that you can handle responsibilities without constant supervision.

  3. Support Their Success Your manager’s success is directly linked to yours. Help them meet their goals, whether by offering assistance on projects or managing up effectively, and both of you will benefit.

  4. Respect Their Time Managers are often under pressure with competing demands. Respect their time by being prepared for meetings, keeping updates concise, and only escalating issues that require their input.

  5. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence Understand your manager's stress points, workload, and priorities. Being empathetic and emotionally aware helps you navigate your relationship more effectively, especially when challenges arise.

  6. Be Resilient and Adaptable Organisational priorities shift frequently, and managers may change direction. Be adaptable to new expectations and resilient in the face of challenges.

Pitfalls

  • Micromanaging your manager: While it's important to offer updates, don't overdo it. Trust that your manager doesn’t need to know every minor detail.

  • Overpromising and underdelivering: Be realistic about what you can achieve. It's better to set accurate expectations than to overpromise and fail to meet them.

  • Ignoring feedback: If your manager offers constructive criticism, use it as an opportunity to improve, not a reason to become defensive.

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