Managing Up – Leading Your Boss
Managing up isn’t about office politics. It’s about understanding your boss’s priorities, anticipating their needs, and making their job easier—which, in turn, makes you more valuable.
It’s one of the most underrated leadership skills. When done well, it impacts culture, retention, and productivity at every level.
Culture: Stronger Relationships, Better Work Environment
A healthy workplace isn’t just built from the top down—it thrives when employees know how to align with leadership and work effectively with their managers.
Take Sheryl Sandberg at Facebook—she built strong relationships with her CEOs by learning their work styles, anticipating challenges, and offering solutions proactively. She didn’t wait to be told what to do—she managed up and became indispensable.
✅ How to manage up effectively:
Learn your boss’s priorities and align your work with them.
Adapt to their communication style—some want details, others prefer big-picture updates.
Bring solutions, not just problems.
Retention: A Great Boss-Employee Relationship Goes Both Ways
People don’t just leave bad companies—they leave bad relationships with their bosses. Managing up can turn a strained relationship into a strong partnership.
Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, encouraged employees to build relationships beyond their immediate role. She understood that when employees communicate effectively up the chain, they gain influence and open doors for growth.
✅ How to improve your relationship with your boss:
Be proactive—don’t wait for instructions.
Understand their challenges and help solve them.
Give feedback tactfully—leaders need input too.
Productivity: When You Manage Up, Everyone Wins
Managing up isn’t about impressing your boss—it’s about making your entire team more effective.
At Amazon, Jeff Bezos valued employees who could think ahead and reduce friction for leadership. Those who mastered managing up didn’t just get ahead—they helped their teams run more efficiently.
✅ How to make managing up work for you:
Set clear expectations with your boss—ask how they define success.
Keep them informed, but don’t overload them with unnecessary details.
Build trust—follow through on commitments and be reliable.
Leading Your Boss = Leading Your Career
The best employees don’t just wait for direction—they shape it. Managing up isn’t about flattery or manipulation; it’s about building a stronger, more productive working relationship.
Master this skill, and you won’t just be a great employee—you’ll be seen as a leader.