A Guide to Managing Upwards

Much research is available about the characteristic traits of great managers and the best strategies for effective leadership. However, not much is said about how employees can create a more positive work environment for themselves. 

Employees who must report to supervisors should know that they have the power to build a supportive relationship across all levels of their organisation through a phenomenon known as “managing upwards.” 

Managing upwards can help you achieve your goals, whether you are an HR professional working to strengthen workplace culture, a middle manager seeking better alignment with leadership, or a frontline employee aiming to boost team morale and performance.

Managing upwards is a way for employees below the executive level to create a better work culture for themselves and their coworkers. Here’s what it means and why it matters.

No matter what position you hold, you can work to build a positive and productive working relationship with your supervisor. Managing upwards involves behaviours like these:

• Understanding your manager’s strengths, weaknesses and priorities
• Tailoring your communication style for increased effectiveness
• Anticipating problems and offering solutions 
• Making your manager’s job easier by providing assistance and information
• Aligning your goals with your manager’s and the organisation’s

Even if you’re not in a leadership role, you can use managerial rituals to cultivate better rapport and collaboration as you work towards common goals.

Managing upwards has the power to foster clear, open and transparent communication between managers and their direct reports, which supports more effective conflict resolution and increased productivity. It can reduce stress and frustration and improve engagement and retention, leading to healthier morale and lower turnover.

Managing upwards provides many critical benefits for people who engage in this practice.

Anticipating and consistently delivering on a manager’s needs before being asked can create a solid foundation of mutual trust and respect. It enhances your value as an employee and your relevance to the organisation.

Understanding your manager’s communication style can help you tailor your communication to their needs, which facilitates clarity. 

This also leads to greater alignment, as you can better discern your manager’s goals and take initiative in helping the team meet them.

Managing upwards can increase your visibility to leadership. When promotions and other opportunities arise, it’s more likely that you will be considered first.

Managing upwards doesn’t always come naturally. Here are the critical skills needed to do it successfully.

By listening actively, you can better grasp your manager’s perspective, priorities and expectations and respond accordingly. Focusing on what the manager is communicating allows you to ask thoughtful questions and avoid misunderstandings.

Managing upwards might require you to read body language, understand motivations and address challenges before they arise, which is key to proactive conflict management. 

You should also be prepared to empathise with your manager and be open to their perspective.

By anticipating a manager’s needs and offering solutions before you are asked, you demonstrate foresight, initiative and a commitment to team success. 

You help your team save time and resources, which leads to smoother project execution. Employees who display these behaviours are highly valuable.

Managing upwards helps you ensure that your efforts aren’t counterproductive to the overall team and organisational goals. 

When your goals and your manager’s are aligned, you demonstrate that you want to contribute to the larger strategic objective. You also help foster a more positive, productive and efficient work environment.

Are you trying to improve at managing upwards? These strategies can help you do just that.

Deliver information, projects, and solutions consistently on time. This will establish you as a reliable employee who is committed to achieving goals.

Transparency and honesty help you foster an environment of open communication and encourage accountability for everyone.

While taking initiative demonstrates your enthusiasm for your work and your commitment to excellence, you must still show that you respect your manager’s position of authority and are willing to work within the organisational hierarchy to get things done. 

Know your manager’s boundaries and make sure not to overstep them.

If you want to improve your ability to manage upwards, focus on avoiding these errors.

Bringing minor issues to your manager’s attention can signal that you lack initiative and problem-solving skills. It can also create more stress and reduce team productivity.

If you don’t clearly understand your manager’s priorities, you’ll waste time and resources on low-impact activities. This can contribute to team stagnation and damage your manager’s trust in your abilities.

Attempting to control your manager’s actions can cause mistrust and breed resentment. It can also be unprofessional, as it impedes effective communication and problem-solving.

These tips can help you become highly effective at managing up in any position.

Prioritising effective 1 to 1 meetings can help you build trust and rapport with your boss. Think of these meetings as a chance to better understand your manager’s priorities, learn their communication style and work on collaborative goal-setting.

Frequent updates demonstrate that you are reliable and proactive. When you share actionable information backed by data and relevant context, your manager will make more informed decisions and recognise your ability to think strategically.

You don’t have to wait for your manager to start giving feedback. Instead, you can proactively ask for it. 

This provides you with direct insight into your manager’s needs and priorities. It also helps to build trust, foster open communication and show that you are committed to constant learning and improvement.

Look for the following signs that your efforts at upward management are working.

Track how often you speak to your managers and keep an eye on the tone of that communication to monitor for any changes in the relationship that might indicate issues.

Take note of how often a manager comes to you first when they need someone to complete a task and how you are usually trusted to make the final decision about important projects.

Look for clear signals that leadership sees and approves of your work and behaviour. This shows that you are a valuable asset to the team.

Managing upwards has significant benefits for an employee’s personal and career growth and also offers advantages for the organisation as a whole. 

Whether you’re looking to improve your management practices or help your employees do the same, Klara’s platform offers the necessary tools. 

Get in touch with us today to learn how we can support your team.