Dor and I presented on the professional development competency of Managing Up. Managing up means creating a relationship with your boss that allows you to freely give constructive feedback, express emotions, and communicate opinions. This type of dynamic begins with understanding your boss’s personality, work style, and needs. This is important to establish because both the boss and subordinates are dependent on each other to do their jobs effectively as well as benefit the organization.
To present this competency to the Fellows and Advising Team, we showed a short video from Harvard Business School that gives an overview of managing up. Additionally, we led an activity by splitting up the group into three teams. Each team had a task to complete and a “boss” to report to. It was up to the team to figure out how to best communicate and work with their boss. I played the role of an overbearing micromanager that needed constant communication, who was always checking-in, and did not provide the most constructive feedback (sound familiar?). It is easy to think about quitting but that isn’t always a quick and easy option, so the best solution is to try to build up a trusting relationship and manage up.
Two of my takeaways while looking up information for this presentation and activity were to “toot my own horn” and to treat your boss like a client. Sometimes accomplishments can go unnoticed in the workplace, therefore it is important to inform a boss of completions by submitting a monthly report. This aids them during evaluations; allows them to see what you have contributed to the organization; and reminds you of the great work you have accomplished. Another lesson is to cater to how the boss functions and tailor presentations and correspondence to his style similar to what one would do when presenting to a client. Doing this could improve the dynamic between the manager and other employers. For more resources on how to manage up you can visit https://wld.hr.gwu.edu/managing.