Managing Up | How to Manage Up | Part 2

Many of us silently yearn(=miss) for an easy relationship with our boss, one in which he can understand us intuitively. But managers are human. They can’t read minds any better than you can. And even the best ones make mistakes. “Manage up” are strategies for enhanced collaboration between you and your boss. You can initiate these strategies, rather than waiting for your boss to become a better manager.

The right attitude is critical if you want to learn to manage up. Start by de-escalating any resentment you have toward your boss. Open yourself up to the idea of collaborating with your boss. And cultivate(=develope) a spirit of learning. Even if you don’t see your boss as a mentor, there’s lots you can learn from him.

With the right attitude, you can then go about(=begin) trying to understand your boss better. Reflect on what you know about the person. Ask yourself: what is this person’s experience and background? Then, how does this experience and background inform his core values?

de-escalate = to decrease in intensity
resentment = the strong and painful bitterness you feel when someone does something wrong to you
core value = a principle or belief that a person or organization views as being of central importance

See also

Managing Up | Part 1