Managing up and managing down
Managing up and managing down is studied as part of management studies as how a middle manager should effectively deal with his or her manager and with his or her subordinates. Additionally, managing up on its own may be a useful skill for a subordinate who in turn does not manage anyone. It is generally considered to be distinct from "sucking up" or "kissing up" to the manager and "kicking down" to subordinates as it involves benign and straightforward influencing rather than underhand manipulation.[1][2][3][4]
Managing up
Johnson claims that you can manage up without sucking up by:[2]
- Be very clear about what job you were hired to do – and do it
- Understand what job your boss was hired to do
- Remember that the people you work with are not family
According to Badowski, good managing up requires going above and beyond the tasks assigned to you so that you can enhance your manager's work. Doing what you can to make your manager's job easier will not only help them do their job, but you will be considered a valuable asset to your manager and to your organization. You want to be described as indispensable.[5][6]
Influencing up
Bradford introduces the idea of influencing up where it may be possible for a subordinate without authority to influence those with authority.[7]
Managing down
It is claimed that good managing down requires the following attributes:[8]
- Organization skills
- Communication skills
- Motivation
- Leadership skills
- Utilizing the right management style
- Being authentic
- Safe environments
- Setting clear expectations
- Consistent feedback
- Accepting imperfection
References
- ↑ Turk W (2007) Defense AT&L: March–April The Art of Managing Up
- 1 2 Johnson W (15 Dec 2014) Managing Up Without Sucking Up Harvard Business Review
- ↑ Price S Ivy Exec Managing Up Without Kissing Up
- ↑ The Careers Group (2010) Your Academic Career: Managing Professional Relationships University of London
- ↑ Badowski R (2004) Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship With Those Above You
- ↑ Garone E (30 Oct 2008) Wall Street Journal What It Means to 'Manage Up'
- ↑ Bradford DL (2005) Influence Without Authority
- ↑ Ward ME, Zambito J (Nov 2013) The Bulletin Vol 81 Issue 6 Managing in All Directions: Up, Down, and Sideways
Further reading
Books
- Harvard Business Review (2013) HBR Guide to Managing Up and Across
- Dobson MS, Dobson DS (2000) Managing Up!: 59 Ways to Build a Career-advancing Relationship with Your Boss
- Baldoni J (2010) Lead Your Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up
- Harvard Business School Press (2013) Managing Up: Expert Solutions to Everyday Challenges
- Deblauwe T, Reilly P (2012) #MANAGING UP tweet Book01: 140 Tips to Building an Effective Relationship with Your Boss
- Matuson RC (2011) Suddenly In Charge: Managing Up, Managing Down, Succeeding All Around
- Smullen FW (2014) Ways and Means of Managing Up: 50 Strategies for Helping You and Your Boss Succeed
- (1984) Managing Up, Managing Down: How to be a Better Manager and get What You Want from your boss and Your Staff
Journal articles
- Austin MJ (1989) Managing Up: Relationship Building Between Middle Management and Top Management Administration in Social Work Vol 12, Issue 4, P29-46
- Salmen SH, Hagen B, Patacky M. (1986) Managing down-staffing. Journal of Nursing Management. May;17(5): P33-6.
External links
- The Happy Manager Manage Your Boss – 8 ways to “manage up”
- Bradford DL How Do You Manage Up in the Workplace?
- Guber P 9 May 2013 “Managing Up” When Your Boss Has You Down
- Janssen S 7 Jan 2014 Managing Up Or Down?