Managing up: What it is, what it isn’t, and how to do it right

What managing up means (and why it matters)

Few topics in business management spark as much confusion as the concept of ‘managing up.’ Going by the name alone, many falsely assume that managing up means picking up the slack for an incompetent boss or project manager. This is risky territory, as trying to do your boss’s job or go over their head rarely ends well.

Instead, true managing up is actively forging a strong working relationship with your manager and other higher-ups. When done correctly, managing up can lead to better decision-making, boosted productivity, and higher levels of job satisfaction.

In fact, a research study by Ladders uncovered that 88% of professionals believe managing up translates to career success in a big way. The type of managing up they’re talking about in the research study differs from what most think the concept is about.

Instead of trying to act as your manager’s manager, managing up is all about aligning your work and communication style with your boss. It’s about working with your manager instead of against them to achieve the best possible outcome.

According to the Harvard Business Review, professionals shouldn’t limit managing up only to include their direct manager.

They introduce the concept of ‘managing higher,’ where you set aside time to coordinate with your boss’s boss to provide additional value to your organization. There’s quite a bit to learn (and dispel) about managing up, so read on to learn more.

What is managing up?

Since the topic is highly controversial, finding a formal definition of managing up is difficult. However, most professionals would agree that managing up is a form of career development that involves actively working towards the mutual benefit of yourself and your boss.

It’s about aligning yourself with your boss to work together in harmony. After all, if you’re at odds with your boss’s management style (and they’re at odds with yours), the chances are very low that you’ll do great work.

Instead of constantly playing tug-of-war between your two styles, managing up involves working toward a win-win through constructive feedback, learning new leadership skills, and aligning with your manager’s goals.

Building a healthy relationship with your boss and your boss’s boss will improve your productivity and help you move up in your organization.

It’s crucial to note that managing up isn’t always seamless and smooth sailing. Rather, it involves lots of healthy compromises and a willingness to adapt to each other’s management style.

In other words, it requires effort and buy-in from both parties and shouldn’t be entirely one-sided.

That means you should be forthcoming about your preferred method while being open to adapting to your manager’s style.

For instance, if your work life is all about staying on top of your day-to-day tasks, working with a manager who’s a bit more hands-off can be jarring at first. Yet, by working together, your styles will actually complement one another quite nicely.

What isn’t managing up?

Now that you know more about proper managing up, it’s time to talk about what managing up isn’t. As previously stated, there’s no shortage of confusion surrounding the topic, including many misconceptions.

Managing up does NOT involve the following:

• Going behind your boss’s back (or over their head) to get them in trouble.

• Kissing up and becoming the boss’s pet.

• Trying to do your manager’s job due to their perceived incompetence.

• Picking up the slack for bad bosses by micromanaging them.

• Attempting to mold a new manager into someone they’re not.

• Trying to give your manager career advice.

The most important thing to remember is that managing up is never about trying to replace your manager or do their job for them. Properly managing up instead of replacing your manager involves trying to work with them in the most harmonious way possible.

The idea is to forge a successful relationship instead of constantly butting heads.

That way, you and your manager can collaborate to tackle your organization’s most pressing challenges.

How to successfully manage up at your organization

Do you consider your immediate higher-up to be a good manager? Why or why not? Do you wish you could find a way to work with them instead of against them? If so, then you’re ready to learn how to manage up properly.

Rather than trying to do your manager’s job for them, you should take time to learn more about them, their preferred management style, and their career goals. Here’s a look at the top ways to start managing up correctly.

Uncover your boss’s management & communication styles

The first step is to discover your boss’s preferred way of handling work tasks, including how they communicate with team members.

Why is this important?

It is because you can’t achieve harmony with your boss if you aren’t familiar with how they like to handle things. This doesn’t mean you must copy their style; you should know and accept it.

Learning your boss’s management style will make it far easier to work with them.

For example, instead of guessing how your manager will react to any situation, you’ll probably already know beforehand.

Yet, uncovering your boss’s work preferences can be easier said than done. After all, if you don’t spend lots of time around your manager, how can you hope to learn their management style?

Here are a few tips for finding out how your manager likes to handle business:

• Observe your boss during the workday to find out when they’re the most busy (their focus time).

• Pay attention to how they communicate with employees (e.g., Do they always send emails or prefer to speak with team members one-on-one?).

• Are they passive, passive-aggressive, or assertive when speaking to employees?

• Do they prefer to be hands-off or constantly walk around the office and chat with staff?

After you understand how your manager likes to do things, it’s time to examine your preferences.

What’s your communication style? Do you have any similarities or differences from your manager?

If you aren’t sure what your communication and management styles are, there are more than a few ways to find out. A quick and easy way is to take a management style quiz to help you pinpoint your exact management style.

The goal is to find ways to accommodate your boss’s preferences while leaving enough space for your own creativity.

Align with your manager’s goals

Once you start working with your manager’s style instead of against it, aligning with their goals will become possible. You should try to find out your boss’s goals and the primary objectives of your organization as a whole. That means checking with your boss’s boss and other executives to uncover your business’s most pressing challenges.

This will help you be a better manager and employee. It will also reflect well on your character to the main stakeholders at your company.

Furthermore, taking the initiative to align with your manager’s goals shows a real commitment to success, and this commitment likely won’t go unnoticed.

Incorporating daily ‘ stand-up ‘ meetings into your schedule is a great way to encourage alignment across the board. During these briefings, inform everyone of the organization’s top challenges, priorities, and goals.

By managing up in this way, you will help align your organization from top to bottom, which will improve metrics like productivity, efficiency, and employee engagement.

It’s also a good idea to make a habit out of recurring one-on-one meetings with your manager to update them on your progress. Ask them how often they’d like you to report to them to avoid coming off as too forward (i.e., you don’t want to push for weekly meetings if they’d prefer to check in every 2 to 3 weeks instead).

Also, ask what their preferred platform is for your 1:1’s, whether it’s in-person, through email, or over a video chat service like Zoom.

Be emotionally resilient

It takes a healthy amount of emotional resilience to properly manage up, even if you tend to get along with your manager very well. You won’t always see eye to eye, and you’ll sometimes have to compromise. However, that doesn’t mean you should always give up on ideas you passionately feel about.

Remember, managing up isn’t always about agreeing with your manager. At times, you’ll need to stand strong and advocate for your viewpoint without letting things get too heated.

For example, don’t remain silent if your boss wants to move forward with a project that you feel is distracting from the organization’s top goals. Calmly and rationally state your reason for disagreeing with your boss, and be open to feedback.

The occasional debate won’t ruin your working relationship. In fact, the opposite is true. Standing by your beliefs while engaging in a civil debate will show that you’re not a suckup or a pushover and will help your relationship with your boss in the long run. Not only that, but it’ll help you gain more respect.

That’s not to say there won’t be times when you should follow your manager’s advice instead; it’s just that you should use discretion.

The do’s and don’ts of managing up

As with anything else, there are right and wrong ways to manage up. To ensure your success while helping you avoid pitfalls, here are some do’s and don’ts for learning how to manage up.

Do get to know your boss

Are your boss’s goals and motivations a total mystery to you? If so, you need to try to get to know them, as uncomfortable as that may sound.

Getting to know your boss doesn’t have to be awkward or difficult. It’s as simple as knocking on their door and saying something like, “I want to maximize my impact while I’m here, and I know you’ve been in the industry for quite some time. I was wondering if you could schedule some time to discuss your goals, past experiences, and achievements with me.”

Phrasing it in this way puts the ball in their court, and you’re not prying or being nosey. Beyond that, they’ll likely be flattered that you consider them an authority in their industry, which will work in your favor.

Do be proactive

The last thing any manager wants is to have to tell their direct reports everything they need to do. That’s why being proactive goes a long way, especially in terms of learning new skills and reaching out to help.

For example, if your boss is working on a challenging project, don’t wait for them to ask for your assistance. Instead, speak up and offer to help as soon as you see them fall behind.

Being proactive is also great for picking up important skills. Employees often wait for their managers to offer them a new position or additional training.

A surefire way to impress any manager is to further your education and training without their prompting.

Do be authentic

Nobody likes a yes man, and that’s because they aren’t authentic. If you want success with managing up, your relationship with your boss must be genuine. Honesty always pays off in these working relationships, especially when you feel strongly about something.

The worst thing you can do is pretend you’re pleased with an idea when, on the inside, you have some valid objections or concerns.

Don’t pay attention to office politics

Office politics basically never lead to anything good, so it’s best to avoid them altogether. Favoritism, gossip, and taking sides are all things you should avoid when managing up. Do your best to treat everyone equally, especially your direct reports.

While at work, it’s best to keep things professional to avoid letting personal feelings get in the way of your goals.

Don’t try to manipulate your boss

Genuine relationships always outshine fake ones, which is why manipulating your boss to get what you want rarely (if ever) pays off. Avoid flattering your boss, feeding them false information, and gossiping about other coworkers.

Final thoughts: Managing up

To summarize, managing up is not about working double duty and taking on your manager’s responsibilities. It’s also not about trying to go over their head, judging their behavior, or complaining about their tendencies.

Rather, managing up is about intentionally forging a healthy working relationship with your boss. This means getting to know them, accepting their faults, and working with their management style as best you can.

When done right, managing up benefits everyone in your organization, which is why it’s worth it.

More resources:
How to deal with a difficult boss
6 management best practices you can implement now
Ten handbook policies no employer should be without in today’s workforce