Coaching (Managing) Up
Suggestions to Start
1. Coaching or managing up is providing some visibility specific to upper- level management where things could improve. This is not about judgment or what upper-level management is doing wrong, rather providing them perspective and visibility. 2. Introduce Permission + the Sword which are techniques such: “Boss, would you mind if I shared with you a few opportunities where I think the team can raise its game and where I think we’re having some struggles, and the last thing I want to do is assume what you know or don’t know, so my objective is to provide visibility.” This is a thoughtful approach that most upper-level management would be open to.
More Aggressive Suggestions
1. Using the prior activity, pair up people in groups of two or three and practice these conversations of talking to upper-management using the Permission + Sword technique. Most people will vent to upper- management and the message will get lost, so the key element is to ask people to practice these conversations with calmness, sensitivity and thoughtfulness.
Suggested Resources
1. Managing Up – What Does It Mean, and How Do You Do It? video with Chandler Bolt 2. Managing Up video with Lauren Mackler, Harvard Business School 3. Managing Up! book by Michael Dobson & Deborah Dobson
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