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Things Are Looking Up
When was the last time you thought about how to make your supervisor's life easier? It's easy to forget that our relationship with our manager isn't one way, from the top down. Everything we do (and don't do), and the attitude with which we do it, has an impact on that relationship. For better or worse.
"Managing up" empowers you to change your work life for the better, and open new doors for the future. You can read more about the benefits of managing up, and what it involves, in this month's featured article.
And since every situation is different – and every supervisor is different — why not contact a TSA Career Coach and discuss how you can most effectively manage up. It's confidential and it's free. |
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Managing Up:
Building a Relationship with Your Supervisor
to Achieve Mutual Success
By Nancy C. Wallace, MEd, NCC, TSA Career Coach
Employees are quite familiar with the concept of management. Among other tasks, managers take charge of staff, direct workload distribution, and monitor and evaluate performance of subordinates. A skillful supervisor or manager can contribute significantly to your satisfaction and success at work.
Because of this, an important aspect of workplace success is your ability to relate effectively to people in positions of authority over you, especially your supervisor. This concept of "managing up" applies to every employee in the organization, and is necessary for career progress.
So, what is managing up? It's a valuable tactic for getting more interesting assignments, more responsibility, and more opportunities for recognition. It's a deliberate effort to foster understanding and cooperation between you and your supervisor so that you, your supervisor and the agency all achieve their goals.
What are some strategies you can practice to manage up successfully?
- Understand your supervisor – his/her strengths and challenges, work priorities, career goals, personality, preferred communication modes, and best/worst times of day to be approached. Likewise, you must be willing to look honestly at yourself to be clear about your strengths and challenges, work priorities, career goals and personality characteristics. Do good work every day. Work to advance the agency's mission and make your supervisor’s life easier.
- Communicate regularly with your supervisor. Be sure to listen as well as speak. Make promises and commitments carefully and keep your word! Remember also to avoid "bad-mouthing" your supervisor or co-workers. Lifting others with your words also lifts your status in the eyes of others.
- Learn to manage conflict. Understand when to take a stand and when to leave well enough alone. Stand for principles, not personal gain; keep words impersonal, not accusatory; manage your anger; win and lose gracefully; and check your "attitude" at the door before entering the workplace.
- Give and receive feedback well and put feedback to work for you! Understand how to adjust your behavior and attitude; view both positive and (constructive) negative feedback as development tools; establish your goals; get your supervisor's support; and check in regularly with supervisor to discuss progress.
- Accept responsibility for your successes and your mistakes. Avoid blaming others or making excuses for your behavior. Remember the quote by Paul "Bear" Bryant: "If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then we did it. If anything goes real good, then you did it. That's all it takes to get people to win football games."
- Set and keep good workplace boundaries. Know the difference between being "friendly" and being "friends." Expand your network by building productive relationships within your area and across the agency. Show respect at all times for everyone you work with.
Learning the art of managing up has many benefits that can enhance your career satisfaction and effectiveness. On the other hand, the dangers of not managing up are misunderstandings that foster poor morale, reduced change of career progress, and inability for the agency or team to achieve the best results. When employees at all levels manage up effectively, everyone wins.
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What Can Career Coaching Do For You?
TSA provides confidential individual career coaching assistance at no cost to TSA employees. The TSA Career Coaching Service can help you with writing resumes, preparing for interviews, and planning for career development.
The TSA Career Coaches are professional counselors who work with clients from a wide range of fields, and draw on their extensive training and experience in every aspect of career development to help you. Click here to learn more about them and their credentials.
Career Coaches can help you:
- Maximize your success by learning ways to increase your on-the-job productivity and reach your goals
- Develop a personal career plan based on your interests and goals
- Compete more successfully for advancement
- Seek constructive feedback from and work collaboratively with your supervisor, to implement approved developmental activities.
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