Why is this topic so important for women, in particular emerging leaders?
Research shows that having a good relationship with your boss not only impacts your overall happiness, health, and engagement at work, but is critical to your professional advancement. Given that you will likely have dozens of managers over the course of your career, developing skills to “manage up” as an emerging leader is critical to your long-term career progression. This is an important lesson for women to learn because they can often lack the confidence possessed by their male counterparts
Deb Pine
How does “managing up” allow you to propel your career?
When you “manage up” everyone wins. You proactively do what you can to make your manager’s job easier and, as a result, you become an indispensable valuable asset. Your strong reputation and track record can lead to stretch assignments, greater responsibility, increased visibility, greater pay and promotion.
How do you suggest someone prepares for constructive criticism?
Constructive feedback may be hard to hear, but it is important to be able to accept it with grace, gratitude, and good humor. The better you become at receiving feedback, the more likely your manager will be to share valuable advice with you. Research shows that women too often receive feedback that is sugarcoated while men are more likely to receive feedback that is specific and tied to business outcomes. A lack of candid feedback and documented business accomplishments can hold women back. I encourage you to adopt a growth mindset, become a feedback seeker, and view constructive feedback as an opportunity to learn and hone your skills.
Was there a moment in your early career that you wish you had the tools to manage up?
Absolutely! Early on in my career I was completely unaware of the concept “managing up”. I just assumed that it was my manager’s job to direct my work and manage me. Had I known that managing up was part of my job responsibilities and had I been given the tools to do so, I believe I would have been much more effective in my role.