Mastering the Art of Managing Up: Enhancing Professional Relationships

In the modern workplace, the quality of your relationship with your supervisor is a primary driver of job satisfaction. As host Tim Simmons notes in the Skills 360 podcast, a significant "65% of people would choose a new boss over a pay raise," underscoring that professional happiness is often tethered to leadership dynamics. Rather than suffering in silence under an ineffective manager, employees can utilize a strategy known as "managing up" to improve their work life.

Defining Managing Up

At its core, managing up is not about manipulation or hierarchical subversion. Instead, it is about "teaching your boss how to be a good manager to you." It involves shifting one's mindset from a passive recipient of authority to an active participant with "choice and agency." By fostering better "communication, understanding and collaboration," both parties can optimize their working relationship.

The Two-Way Street of Adaptation

Managing up requires a dual approach:

1. Understanding the Boss: One must "think deeply about her expectations, her needs, her preferred communication style and her goals." By observing these specific traits, an employee can adapt their behavior to align with the manager's approach.
2. Communicating Your Needs: It is equally vital to teach the boss how to adapt to you. To do this, one must first be able to "articulate" their own preferences, goals, and communication styles clearly. Without self-awareness, it is impossible to expect a manager to meet your specific professional needs.

Clarifying Misconceptions

Simmons emphasizes that managing up is frequently misunderstood. It is essential to clarify that:

• It is not "sucking up": It does not involve flattery or mindless agreement. Rather, it is about "establishing healthy boundaries" and providing both "positive and constructive feedback."
• It is not manipulation: The goal is not to trick a manager but to be "very transparent about who you are and how you work."
• It is not insubordination: Far from being disrespectful, managing up is better described as "collaborative management." It is a proactive effort to help one's supervisor succeed in their role as a manager.

Overcoming Obstacles to Change

Drawing on the work of Mary Abajay, Simmons highlights three common psychological hurdles that lead to "resentment and bitterness" toward bosses:

• Ego: The desire to prove oneself right and the boss wrong.
• Fixed Perspective: The futile hope that a boss will change their fundamental nature.
• Resistance to Change: The natural human aversion to discomfort.

Ultimately, the podcast argues that the only variable you can truly control is your own behavior. By embracing the discomfort of change and committing to better communication, employees can transform their professional environment. Managing up is not merely a tool for dealing with "lousy managers"; it is a fundamental strategy for anyone seeking to build "strong working relationships" and professional success.