“No, I just know how to kiss ass.”
My immediate reaction was simple: What?
The answer was in response to a question I asked someone about how she was getting along with her manager.
This person had a rough relationship with her manager initially. They seemed to always be butting heads on the smallest of issues. Most of time, she did not feel she could connect.
The most important organizational dynamic
We had discussed this dynamic from time to time over the years. It seemed that, finally, it was now taking hold.
Yes, the most important dynamic in organizational hierarchy is the process of managing up.
Her statement sounds a lot like the type person that we all have come in contact with — the one who is the proverbial “yes” man or woman.
Her explanation cleared it up.
"I try and do what I can to make her job easier, and as a result of doing that well, I’m now seen as a valuable asset to the team. I now realize that I had to earn that; it wasn’t automatic just because I worked in the department. After watching the manager’s style and studying her way of working, I can now anticipate things and be proactive in department issues.”
By mastering the concept of “managing up,” she is now recognized as a valuable part of the organization. By righting that relationship, she has an advantage when greater job responsibilities come up.
The concept of managing up
When you learn this concept it will help in your career advancement and give you an edge over the competition when you are being considered for promotions or important projects.
So the phrases like kissing up, sucking up, or brown nosing that we have all heard about should not be construed with managing up.
Managing up is about getting to know one’s style and way of working. If there is conflict between the two of you in your working relationship, is it because you are both speaking different languages? Say your boss is a data person and makes decision based on numbers, and then your role is to present your idea and be prepared with analytics to back it up.
If your manager is a people person, regular communication is important even if you are not. This is a relationship that needs to be masterered, because knowing your manager’s style — and adjusting your own to meet it — will help you manage up and be successful.
What you should do?
So your role is to pay attention to what is going on around you. Look at the relationships that work within the organization and try and figure out the secret sauce. Jump in when needed and always maintain a good attitude no matter what goes on around you. That means staying level headed.
Your work should always be top notch as you also work to keep your manager informed. In addition, you need to build strong relationships among your peers as well as your manager’s peers.
All this sounds good in theory, but managing your boss is a way to have a win-win-win situation where everyone — including the team, department and organization — wins. Failing to master this will result in misunderstandings about expectations and cause wasted time and effort on tasks not in line with organizational goals, and more importantly, your career goals.
Yes, it’s about your career
And to put it plainly, career progress rarely happens if you don’t manage your boss successfully.
Whatever your role within the organization, everyone has a manager, and in a lot of cases, may have multiple ones. So the quicker you learn this process and put it to use, the better off you will be.
Yes, it is that important.
As a matter of fact, your career depends on, it so manage up with that in mind.
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