Lead from behind: the art of managing up

By Linda

In this week's blog, we present some resources to assist with the art of managing upwards.

Business Business featured

"I'm so tired of managing my manager" sighed a friend.  "How about a blog piece about that?"

If you're a middle manager you may sometimes feel you are caught between two workplace groups with different requirements of you.

You are responsible for leading and managing a group of staff while at the same time you also need to be able to work with, and influence, those who manage you.

It's a difficult place to be and requires skill to negotiate the demands from both groups.

In this week's blog we share a collated list of resources to assist with the subtle art of managing up.

Articles

Mostly on Managing Up
NZBusiness+Management, February 1, 2023.
Provides suggestions to help determine if you are managing up effectively. (Library registration is required to access this article via EBSCO databases).

Why Managing Up Matters
Simpson, Liz.  Harvard Management Update 7, no. 8 (August 2002): 3-5
It isn’t manipulation. Clarifying the goals and limitations of the boss-employee relationship enables everyone to move on to the real business at hand. (Library registration is required to access this article via EBSCO databases)

How to Onboard Your New Boss
Hollister, R. and Watkins, M.D. (2023) Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, pp. 1–6
Reducing their learning curve about your organization, team, and culture will help set all of you up for success. (Library registration is required to access this article via EBSCO databases)

How to spot and manage an insecure boss
Offers five strategies for managing up with an insecure boss in order to make the situation work for you both.

Podcast
This HBR on Leadership podcast discusses What It Takes to Build Influence at Work
 Whether you’re managing up to your boss or out to your clients, there are proven techniques to help you better understand them and win their respect.

LinkedIn learning
All LinkedIn Learning courses are free with library registration. Enter your card details at the prompts and you can access the following:

Managing Up (Course)
This course is designed to help you learn how to maximize your career by managing up. Leadership consultant and best-selling author Roberta Matuson explains what managing up is, what it isn't, and why it is important to achieving success.

Managing Your Manager (Course)
In this course, author, keynote speaker, and coach Dr. Todd Dewett shows how to manage your reputation and one of your most important work relationships: your rapport with your boss.

Managing Up, Down, and Across the Organization (Course)

In this course, Kevin Eikenberry teaches you how to make a bigger, positive difference in your work, by navigating around your position to manage up, down, and across the organization. By learning to manage relationships with all levels—including your boss, peers, and direct reports—you will be in a better position to choose the best approach to achieve your goals.

Book collection
Within the Wellington City Libraries collection, you will find the following helpful titles:

If you would like further information please contact the Prosearch team at the library. We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources. All enquiries are treated in confidence.