The Art of Managing Up

Written By Kelly White

Mastering the Dynamics of Leading Your Leader

What Is Managing Up?

As leaders, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to manage down—leading our teams, guiding our direct reports, and driving performance. But what about managing up?  

Managing up is the art of building a positive, productive relationship with your boss or senior leadership. It's not about manipulation or flattery; instead, it's about understanding your leader's needs, preferences, and priorities and aligning your efforts to support their success—and, by extension, the success of your team and organization.  

Managing up isn't just for entry-level employees. Leaders at all levels benefit from it. Senior leaders who manage up effectively often find themselves better positioned to influence organizational strategy, secure resources, and advocate for their teams.

"The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made, and they are made by effort." --Warren Bennis

Managing up requires effort. It's an intentional process of learning how to guide and influence those above you. In fact, it's a leadership skill in itself.

5 Practical Tips to Start Managing Up

1. Understand Your Leader's Priorities: What are your leader's main goals and challenges? Do they need quick results, or are they focused on long-term growth? Align your work to support these objectives. By aligning with their vision, you can lead more effectively. To manage up, you must adjust your sails to match the direction of your leader's vision.  

💡 Pro Tip: Schedule regular check-ins to clarify what's most important to them right now.

2. Adapt to Their Communication Style: Does your leader prefer detailed reports or high-level summaries? Do they like face-to-face meetings or quick email updates? Adapting your communication style to theirs helps build trust and reduce friction. When you adapt to their style, you take care of your leader's needs, which strengthens the relationship.  

➡️ Action Step: Observe their preferred way of processing information and adjust your approach.

3. Bring Solutions, Not Problems: When issues arise, don't just raise alarms—come with potential solutions. Leaders appreciate problem-solvers who take initiative and think ahead. Managing up means easing the burden of decision-making. Be the leader who quietly solves problems without seeking constant praise.  

➡️ Action Step: Next time you face a challenge, brainstorm 2-3 solutions before bringing it to your leader.

"A good leader takes a little more than their share of the blame, a little less than their share of the credit." --Arnold H. Glasow

4. Be a Source of Calm in Chaos: Leaders face constant pressure. Being a stabilizing force, especially in times of uncertainty, shows your value. Stay composed, focus on the big picture, and offer clarity when everything seems chaotic. By managing up with calm and confidence, you reinforce your leadership skills and help guide the entire tea

💡 Pro Tip: Ask yourself, "How can I simplify this situation for my leader?"

"Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence." --Jack Welch

5. Know When to Push Back Respectfully: Managing up doesn't mean saying "yes" to everything. Sometimes, you need to provide honest feedback or suggest alternative approaches. The key is delivering it with respect and empathy. Align your feedback with your leader's objectives: "Here's another option that might help us reach our goal faster." This supports your leader and demonstrates that you're thinking strategically.  

➡️ Action Step: Practice framing your feedback in a way that aligns with your leader's vision.

The Managing Up Challenge: Your Turn to Practice

This week's challenge: Think about one way to better manage up with your leader. Perhaps it's adapting your communication style, proactively solving an issue, or offering constructive feedback. Once you've taken action, share your experience with a peer or your team. Encourage them to reflect on how they can apply these principles with their own leaders.

🔍 Reflection Questions:  

  • What assumptions have I made about managing up that might be holding me back?  

  • How can I align my efforts more closely with my leader's priorities?  

  • In what situations could I be more proactive in providing solutions?

Final Thought: Managing up is not about personal gain; it's about building a stronger, more cohesive leadership dynamic that benefits the entire organization. By aligning with your leader's vision, anticipating needs, and fostering open communication, you become not just a manager of your team but a trusted partner in leadership.  

Managing up is about adjusting those sails to help your entire team move forward.

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Leaders Eat Last

This month’s top pick is Simon Sinek’s Start with Why, Find Your Why, and Leaders Eat Last—a powerful trio for leaders.

In Start with Why, Sinek explores how great leaders inspire action by understanding their purpose. Find Your Why guides you to discover your own purpose, essential for long-term success. Leaders Eat Last dives into building trust within teams, creating environments where people feel safe and motivated to excel.

If you want to lead with purpose and build stronger teams, this collection is a must-read!

Consider how many different pieces of content you see in any given week. See something that resonates with you? Share it with us to feature it in our Social Media of the Week section.

"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails." --John C. Maxwell

Kelly White
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The Art of Strategic Leadership