EDITOR’S NOTE
Managing Up I
don’t know where I learned this strategy but I have used it as one of my guiding tenets in my career for years: My job is to make my boss look good. Sometimes that means letting him — I have only had one female manager and that was 25-plus years ago when I was not a manager — take credit for something that was my idea originally. Sometimes that means doing things I’d rather not do or that I disagree with. Sometimes it means letting go. While that sounds like a form of subjugation, I’ve found the opposite. The more I work for my boss, the more autonomy I’m given. As he learns to trust that I have his best interests as my guiding work light, he usually lets me go and make things happen.
Taking this strategy has also freed me to state my opinion without fear of workplace retribution. As a manager, I’m paid to give my opinion and since I have made it clear that all my opinions stem from the best interests of wherever I’m working and whoever I’m working for, my bosses have been more open to hearing what I have to say. I also recognize and appreciate hierarchy; sometimes I just need to do what the boss wants. After all, I’m not at the top. This strategy hasn’t always worked. One man found this approach daunting. So I left the company and now work here. But most of my bosses have appreciated this approach. We’ve got an exciting panel in October on this topic. I hope you’ll join us. Get the details on page 50. W
LIKE FIELD TRIPS?
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