You have a team that you lead. You have projects for which you are responsible. And you have a superior who makes decisions, prioritizes, blocks, or simply doesn’t decide, prioritizes incorrectly, and blocks everything. <\/p>\n\n
Most leaders invest a lot of energy in leading down<\/a>. Few systematically invest in leading up. This is a mistake. <\/p>\n\n Leadership doesn’t stop with your employees. If you can’t manage your superior, you become reactive instead of proactive. “Managing Up” is not manipulation. It is the realization that your superior is also a human being, with their own constraints, priorities, and blind spots. And that you have an influence on how well this relationship functions. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n A division head I coached was technically outstanding and popular with her team. But every week she came out of the regular meeting with her superior frustrated: “He doesn’t understand what we need. He blocks decisions. He’s not interested in the details.” When we analyzed her communication, the pattern became clear: she brought problems, not solutions. She spoke in operational details, while her boss thought in strategic categories. She expected him to adapt, instead of adapting herself. Within four weeks, she changed her approach, and the relationship improved dramatically.<\/p>\n\n The first step is a change of perspective. Your superior is not just your boss; they are also someone who is led, under pressure<\/a>, and has to achieve goals. What keeps them awake at night is probably not the same thing that concerns you. They have different stakeholders, different timelines, different priorities. They know things you don’t know about corporate strategy, political constellations, impending changes. Conversely, you know things they don’t know about operational realities, team morale, practical obstacles. And they also have blind spots and uncertainties. <\/p>\n\n John Gabarro and John Kotter, both from Harvard Business School, showed in their influential study “Managing Your Boss” that the most productive working relationships between leaders and their superiors are based on mutual dependence and active shaping, not passive acceptance.<\/p>\n\n The better you understand your superior’s goals, pressures, strengths, and weaknesses, the more effectively you can manage up. And don’t forget the gatekeepers. The assistant controls the calendar, filters information, and influences who gets access. Treat them with genuine respect, not as an obstacle, but as a key person. <\/p>\n\n A classic mistake: You have a problem, go to your boss, and lay it on their desk. That feels like transparency. In reality, it’s upward delegation<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n
Understanding Your Superior’s Perspective<\/h2>\n\n
Bring Solutions, Don’t Escalate Problems<\/h2>\n\n