Knowing how to manage upwards

Everyone who’s ever worked in an office setting has most likely experienced being managed. You were probably managed by a project lead, who’s managed by their executive, and managed by a C-level official, and so on.

A good manager communicates well and gives you a clear direction of where to go in terms of work. A good manager is engaged with the team, always ensures that roadblocks are out of the way, and that everyone is working towards a common interest.

Sometimes however, we encounter a manager who doesn’t exactly translate well to us; some people do not have the personality traits we commonly look for in a manager. This can cause staff to feel lost, frustrated, and overall misaligned with the rest of the business. But in the real world, you can’t simply change the hierarchy of an organisation just because things are not working the way you expect them to.

But, you, too can make things work without having to change much in the workplace. A good character and mindset can help you streamline the way you work, become more productive, and overall be satisfied with your job.

Communicating using a common language

Talking to someone who doesn’t understand your dialect, regardless of how articulate you are, won’t mean anything to your listener.

The same rule applies to your manager. If your manager speaks in data, then your business pitch should also be expressed in terms of data, before expecting any buy-in whatsoever.

According to Harvard Business Publishing’s “10 Must Reads: On Communication”, knowing the general characteristics of your boss’ decision-making style can make a big difference in terms of getting your ideas approved. Calibrating your manager’s preferences and techniques in decision-making is one way to make sure you are being heard. Higher-ups who are more inclined to make decisions based on customer demands don’t expect all of their staff to speak the same language, but ensuring that you yourself are on the same page can streamline the way you work — without you even noticing it.

Seeing from your manager’s standpoint

Understanding your manager from a strategic point of view can work wonders. Being handed a huge project with a very strict timeline will not make sense if you look at it as a bulk of things to do.

But it makes a big difference when you ask your manager what exactly is the expected impact of the project to the business as a whole and where the project will eventually lead to 6–12 months down the line. Having that sense of purpose over your tasks influences the way you do them. The first step to doing this is not being too proud to admit when you don’t understand something at work — ask questions that will clear the mist and allow you to understand better.

Setting healthy boundaries and expectations

One of the most common reasons people perform less optimally at work is because of fatigue. Having a sense of boundary, even towards those who manage you, is a helpful skill that can build credibility and help you balance your workload.

Setting a boundary at work doesn’t mean you can say ‘no’ to the tasks given to you. It means that you have a healthy sense of self in order to ensure you’re delivering the best work you can. Some examples are:

1. Saying “no” to something that doesn’t seem fair without ever feeling guilty.
2. Knowing not to tolerate bad behaviour from managers and coworkers alike — and not being afraid to speak up about it.
3. Never letting personal problems and/or professional biases affect your quality of output.
4. Always using your time in the workplace to be productive.
5. Being confident in expressing your ideas and opinions at work.

All managers have a certain level of expectation towards their people, so it’s important that you set that for yourself properly. Most of the time, having a sense of boundary will easily translate into how you set expectations with others. Practicing healthy boundaries should naturally help you shape expectations as well.

How well do you manage up?

“Managing up is the process of consciously working with your boss to obtain the best possible results for you, your boss, and your organization. This is not a political maneuver or kissing up. Rather, it is a deliberate effort to bring understanding and cooperation to a relationship between individuals who often have different perspectives.” (Thomas Zuber & Erica James)

The examples above are only some of the effective ways to manage your managers. Did you see anything relatable? Are there things you are actively doing at work now? Here’s a short checklist to give you an idea of how well you size up when it comes to upward management:

1. I am aware of my boss’ strengths, weaknesses, management style, and priorities.
2. I am not afraid to say “no” to unreasonable requests at work.
3. I always ask questions when I don’t understand what my manager expects of my performance.
4. My manager provides feedback that I openly welcome and action upon. When there isn’t any feedback, I ask my manager to clearly understand if my work is up to par.
5. I never let any criticism impair my work ethic. I always make a point to deliver the best quality of work regardless of my personal biases towards my manager.
6. I am aware of my manager’s expectations of me, and my manager is aware of my expectations of them.
7. I do not practice passive-aggressive behaviours at work. Instead, my boss and I deal with disagreements as candidly as possible.

Was there an item where you answered “no”? If yes, consider practicing upward management skills more and see how big a difference it could make for you and your business. Not only does it reduce tension, anxiety, and complaining, but more importantly it reinforces your capability of being stellar at your job, regardless of who is managing you.

Originally posted on Workforce Success’ Blog