The Forgotten Element of Management 101 – Managing Up 3/3

A key driver of a manager’s success is their ability to proactively keep their boss in the loop and engaged. In that regard, I regularly advise managers to keep a journal of items and issues which:

1 – require boss’s decisions and direction

2 – would benefit from boss’s input although the decision rests with the subordinate

3 – the boss should be aware of, simply on an FYI basis.

My advice would be for every manager to proactively organize timely meetings or phone calls to discuss the items on all three lists. This leads to organizational alignment and clarity which ultimately pays dividends for all concerned.

In what way has managing up played a roll in your business or life? Leave a comment with your answer below and thanks for reading! The next edition of Timbiz goes live in the Summer of 2018.

-Tim Shaw, MSA Consulting.