Managing Upwards

Two statements most often made to trainers, speakers, and coaches are: “My boss would not allow me to implement what you are saying” or “that is not the way we do things in our organization.” It is very frustrating. Many managers send their people on learning and development activities and do not know what the content really is or how they can best support the individual when he or she returns to work. So people attend and then do not apply their learning back in their workplace. Many people sit in frustration because their boss will not allow them to make a decision or take responsibility and act on it. Middle managers are often faced with these issues and the whole business is held back as a result. In these situations there is a need to understand how to manage upwards, that is, how to manage your boss. Looking at the boss above you, first try to understand her potential fears. She may be so used to control that she is afraid of letting go, and she may not even be aware that she is behaving this way. Humans are creatures of habit and releasing control is one of the hardest habits to break; so she makes decisions that you could make or handles things that you could do. In these situations you need to gently make her aware that you have enough experience now and you could make her job easier if you were to assume more responsibility. When you ask for more responsibility, you need to be open and willing to provide feedback about your progress. If your boss is to let go, she will want to know that everything is working out. Verbal reassurance will not be enough. Your boss will want to know how you are, and will be measuring progress in a real way. Remember from her point of view, the boss knows how work flows and has a feel for when intervention is needed. She is not yet sure that you will have that same “feeling” or sense of being able to recognize that something may need adjusting or that intervention is needed. One of the greatest fears a boss has is that something will go wrong where she was not informed and will be held accountable. Any boss is desperate to know that the people who report to her will not keep her in the dark about what is really happening. So the boss wants to know that you will not try to hide issues if something is going wrong. She needs reassurance that you will ask her for advice or support before it is too late. So an important part of managing upward is to provide reassurance with frequent updates. Some bosses like it when you go to them with a question because it shows that you are willing to seek their advice. By consistently and transparently showing your boss how you are handling your increased responsibilities, you are building trust and integrity. These are critical relationship components that must be earned. They take some time and are easily lost. Another practical step you can take to managing your boss is to understand the issues s/he is facing. You are well aware of what the world looks like from where you are standing, but what about what it looks like from his or her position? It is easy to belittle the issues when you are one step removed from the issue. Your boss will probably have a different perspective on the business, the challenges ahead, and the problems s/he has to deal with. Showing your boss that you understand the world in which s/he operates can create a stronger rapport and higher level of trust. Finally, it is worth knowing the difference between you and your boss, specifically the different personality types involved. There are a number of personality styles and they are described in various ways and using varying titles and even colours. What type of person are you and what type is your boss? For example, many bosses fit the “driver” or “pragmatic” category. This means they are outgoing, on the go, rushing from place to place, and often have a short attention span. If you are one of the other personality styles, then you are likely to find this aggressive and/or annoying because they won’t sit still or give you any time. If you are “analytical,” then you like details and methodical processes that are considered and well-thought through. You will probably find anyone else who does not match your style as irrational. Regardless of your style you expect that others will be like you and when they are not, you jump to conclusions that may not be ideal in building a relationship. Take the time to understand your boss’s profile compared to yours. You may find it answers a lot of questions about your frustrations. Then ask yourself, what do you need to do to satisfy that profile? What allowances do you need to make? Simple things like how you present information, how you communicate, what you spend time on, and the level of detail you need to give, are all aspects of being able to respect other personality profiles. It is possible to manage upwards. You have to work at it and it may take you out of your comfort zone, but it can be very rewarding. The key is to really understand who your boss is and what it is like to be in his or her shoes. Take the time to learn the skill and you will find that you have a better relationship with your boss.

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Managing Upwards

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