The way you manage up can have a huge impact on your career, but it's not always easy to figure out what works best. In this post, we'll teach you how to develop the skills necessary for successfully managing up so that you can get ahead in your role.
What is Managing Up?
Managing up is a skill that can be applied to every aspect of your life. From managing a project to managing a relationship, it's all about getting what you want by understanding what your boss or partner wants and how you can help them in the process.
The goal of managing up is to make yourself so valuable that your boss wants to keep you on their team and will work with you to make sure that happens. A successful manager-to-boss relationship requires effective communication and understanding between both parties so they can work together as effectively as possible.
Benefits of Managing Up
Managing up allows you to work on what you want to work on, which is why it's important to keep in mind that managing up allows you and the person above you are on the same page.
Another great thing about managing up is that it gives employees an opportunity to learn new skills through their interactions with higher-ups, which contributes positively toward upward mobility.
Managing up can also result in increased responsibility—if done correctly, managers will take note and reward those who prove themselves capable of taking on more challenging tasks than they previously had been doing before being promoted (which often comes hand-in-hand).
8 Ways You Can Start Managing Up More Effectively
Here are 8 tips on how to successfully manage up:
- Understand your boss. Understand what motivates them; understand what they want to achieve; understand their vision; understand their priorities; understand how they like to work and what they are good at. Knowing their goals will give you insight into how they want things done and how they prioritize their time.
- Ask for help. Asking for help is something many people are not comfortable with, but it's important to realize that no one knows everything and everyone can benefit from the insights of others.
- Identify needs. Find where your boss has gaps in their knowledge or ability, so that you can help fill those gaps.
- Define projects. Define the goals of the project, the scope, time frame, and resources needed to complete the project. It's also important to identify all deliverables expected in order to complete your work.
- Set goals. Be sure that these are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Relevant and Timely.
- Value your work. You should be confident in your work and willing to do what it takes for you to get ahead. You need to be open about receiving feedback from managers, and not take it personally. If you're asked to take on new challenges, be willing to do so without hesitation.
- Communicate clearly. Be clear, concise, and make sure you're always using the right medium to communicate effectively with each team member.
- Collaborate effectively. Collaboration is a skill that can be used in any industry, at every level and of all ages. It's important to know how to collaborate effectively because it allows you to build relationships with peers and supervisors, giving you the opportunity to work better together.
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