Rooted & Radiant: Effectively Managing Up

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Learning to "manage up" is a lot like being a flower in bloom. I have learned you have to have an outward, honest, and polished perspective as well as have strong boundaries and "roots" hidden below the ground and within yourself to be resilient and open to feedback.

Rosanne Badowski wrote a really great book on this topic, Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship With Those Above You, that I just love. Key learnings to pass along if you can't read the book (which I highly recommend):

Key Learnings on Managing Up:

• Helping vs. Hindering: No matter what your job, salary or title, if you're not helping, you are hindering.
• Understand the 'Why': It's not good enough to be aware of what's happening around you; you have to know WHY it's happening.
• Goal Alignment & Communication: Ask yourself, "Did the work I performed today help achieve a goal?" Make sure to let your boss and leaders know!
• Building Effectiveness: Being fully effective springs from building a reputation for being a team player, demonstrating a willingness to accept responsibility, bringing new ideas to the job, and being productive.
• Disagree Constructively: Don't be afraid to disagree...but be prepared to offer solutions.
• The Power of Follow-Through: 98% of any job is follow-through.
• Adopt Your Boss's Causes: To have an effective partnership with your boss, you have to adopt the boss's causes as your own.
• The "Too-Quiet" Office: Be aware of this potential warning sign. It may indicate that energy and enthusiasm have bottomed out. If you feel time drags at the office, you need a new job.
• Mistakes as Growth Opportunities: Treat your mistakes as opportunities for growth. What's done is done. Don't dwell on the past. Learn from your mistakes and move on.
• Laughter as a Business Indicator: Lack of laughter is a sign of a business in trouble, headed for trouble, or that deserves to be in trouble.
• Shared Success: When those above you win, you win.
• Preparation is Key: Success is 80% preparation.
• Recognize Star Performers: Treating all employees equally is unfair to your star performers.
• The Drive of Purpose: Purpose feeds on passion and gives your life meaning.

By Angie Janko, COO of GSD Coach & Recruiting, helping SaaS founders build the top 5% of talent, FAST!