9
OPINION
Managing upward
Mastering the art of managing upward is crucial for career growth, involving understanding, aligning with, and proactively supporting superiors.
I can credit some of my success over the years to learning the practice of managing upward. This is not a concept we usually think about. Instead, most of us have taken numerous courses and lectures on management tactics telling us how to manage our direct reports. Some even discuss lateral management. But what about the leaders above us? Understanding this can be crucial to your career development and, ultimately, your success.
Greg Sepeda
Think back to the interactions you have with your staff. Are there people you feel in sync with? Does some of your team always seem to bring you the right information at the right time? You probably have a subconscious list of idealistic things you wish your staff did in working with you. Now, think about how you interact with your immediate boss. How many of those idealistic things do you do with them? Here are three tips I will share with you: 1. You cannot get your boss the information they need if you don’t know what that is. Obvious, right? But it may be more challenging than it appears. I frequently repeat something my dad told me when I graduated many years ago. He told me my job was to make my boss look
good. While that sounds very self-centered of our bosses, what my dad meant was that my job was to understand my boss’s goals and to work to help them achieve those goals, keeping in mind that my boss’s needs represented the needs of the company and the clients. So, we need to take time to really listen to what they are telling or asking us. You may need to ask some additional prying questions to dig further into why they are requesting particular information or to understand their goal. You want to be aligned with that objective. Be aware of their priorities and adjust yours accordingly. Delivering a quality product is not limited to our projects. Try thinking of our bosses as internal clients.
See GREG SEPEDA, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER APRIL 22, 2024, ISSUE 1534
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker