Struggling with Promotions? Possible Misconceptions about Influencing Superiors Could Be the Problem
Step away from the politics game.
I shouldn't have to manage my manager, that's their job.
I'd rather focus on doing remarkable work than currying favor with the leadership.
Does any of that sound familiar? These are the typical responses when someone brings up a critical career skill that's non-negotiable in today's workplace: managing up.
In contemporary organizations, your influence ability is your most precious career asset. The era of allowing your manager to be your only advocate is long gone. Success now goes to those who build allies across teams, persuasively pitch their ideas, and navigate organizational complexities.
Neglecting to grasp this reality could lead to scenarios you've likely witnessed: the brilliant analyst overlooked for promotion because "they aren't strategic enough." The skilled manager whose ideas never get executed because "they can't play well with others." The experienced professional left behind with basic tasks while less skilled colleagues are offered exciting projects.
All these scenarios stem from misunderstanding the essence of what managing up is and its increasing importance in today's workplace. Let's bust the harmful myths that might be holding you back from earning the respect, recognition, and remuneration you deserve.
Myth #1: Managing Up Means Becoming a Yes-Person
Managing up has been misconstrued as brown-nosing and manipulation. It seems logical, given advice in older management books that recommended keeping track of your manager's coffee preferences and their spouse's birthday. But that's not managing up - that's surrendering your individuality.
Managing up isn't officially becoming a corporate yes-person. Instead, it's about understanding how to collaborate effectively with those with authority over your career development. It's about shifting from "How can I please my manager?" to "How can we work together to achieve our respective objectives?" When you do this, something transformational occurs. You stop viewing yourself as subservient and start viewing yourself as a strategic partner. This change in mindset impacts how you behave and perceive every interaction, resulting in a dramatically improved experience.
Myth #2: Managing Up Is for the Sake of Your Manager
One common assumption is that managing up is for your boss's benefit, whether that means making their life easier or compensating for their inadequacies. Objections like, "Why should I management up? Shouldn't my boss be better at their job?" abound.
Managing up is about you getting what you need to excel, rather than catering to your boss's needs. Think about it: When you've mastered managing up, you'll be able to get clear direction even when your manager is unclear. You'll learn how to secure buy-in for your ideas, particularly in tight budget situations. You'll acquire the skills to safeguard your time and energy during times of chaos for everyone else. In essence, managing up isn't about changing your boss - it's about altering your relationship tactics in a way that helps further your goals.
Myth #3: Managing Up Is Only for Challenging Bosses
Viewing managing up as an emergency measure to deal with difficult bosses is like only visiting the dentist when you have a toothache. It's a reactive, painful, and counterproductive approach. Simultaneously, many neglect to focus on managing up when dealing with great bosses. This makes managing up a reactive, belated skill investment, which often happens at the exact moment it's needed most.
Managing up is a proactive career development strategy, rather than a reactive harm management technique. It's a skill you should constantly cultivate, regardless of who you report to. Even with a fantastic boss, there's potential to communicate more effectively, better align priorities, and build stronger strategic collaborations. Why wait until problems emerge?
Myth #4: Your Manager is the Only Path to Success
You've probably heard the old adage, "Your boss controls your future. Focus on making your boss happy, and everything will fall into place." This advice may have worked in simpler times when report lines were clearer. However, today's workplace is drastically different.
Your manager is just one voice in a complex web of decision-makers impacting your career progress. Consider your recent major project. You likely had to navigate your direct boss, a project sponsor from another department, multiple stakeholders across teams, and maybe even external clients - each with their own priorities and preferences. That VP spearheading your key project? They play a significant role in your performance evaluations. The director managing resources? They decide if your team gets top priority for new hires. The executive sponsor you meet quarterly? They might have essential input in your promotion discussions.
Failing to engage this broader network of influence can mean missing out. While your boss may be your most significant advocate, they're just one of numerous influential voices in your career progress.
Myth #5: Managing Up Requires an Exuberant Personality
Perhaps you've told yourself that you don't possess the magnetic charm that others display or that you're too introverted for all of this. You've likely observed that colleague dominating executive meetings with buzzwords and bravado, seemingly fearless in their aggressive sales pitches to the CEO.
However, what you don't see behind the scenes are the frustrations from peers and managers saying, "She's exhausting to manage," and growing impatience with constant self-promotion devoid of substance. These people often meet a dramatic downfall, as they confuse attention for influence and volume for value.
Your reserved nature offers a competitive advantage when managing up. While others wage barrages of meaningless small talk, you're keenly observing the subtle body language shifts that might indicate if your boss is more receptive to new ideas. You may notice vital cues when your colleague gets distracted, allowing you to avoid speaking out of turn. During times when colleagues blurt out ideas without carefully considering consequences, you might take pause and voice valuable, thought-out opinions, ensuring alignment with others' priorities.
So, the question isn't whether managing up is essential, but whether you'll allow these myths to hold you back from the opportunities, recognition, and impact you deserve.
- To further my career growth and potentially secure a promotion, I've been focusing on managing up and developing strong relationships with key stakeholders in the workplace.
- Brushing off the notion of managing up as a manipulative tactic, I've learned to approach it as a strategic partnership, ensuring both my and my manager's objectives are met.
- In a recent deal negotiations, my ability to manage up allowed me to secure necessary buy-in from higher-ups, ultimately leading to a spectacularly successful outcome.
- Neglecting the importance of managing up could result in missing out on promotional opportunities, as I've observed others in the workplace who failed to cultivate these relationships.
- Despite common misconceptions, managing up isn't exclusive to those with extroverted personalities; even introverted individuals can excel in this skill by observing subtleties and voicing thoughtful, strategic opinions.
