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    Managing Up

    How to Move Up, Win at Work and Succeed With Any Type of Boss

    By Mary Abbajay

    Published 04/2018



    About the Author

    Mary Abbajay is an acclaimed public speaker, organizational consultant, and corporate trainer. She is the president and founder of Careerstone Group, a professional development company that delivers leading talent and organizational development solutions to Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and nonprofits. Mary Abbajay is passionate about helping organizations create productive, positive workplaces where both organizations and individuals can flourish. Her work focuses on building effective relationships and enhancing workplace dynamics to foster growth and success.

    Main Idea

    In Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss, Mary Abbajay presents the concept of "managing up" as a critical career skill. Managing up is about developing and maintaining effective relationships with supervisors, bosses, and others above you in the organizational hierarchy. It's not about brownnosing or becoming a sycophant; instead, it involves consciously building relationships that foster communication, collaboration, and understanding. By mastering this skill, you can enhance your reputation, accelerate your career growth, and create a more harmonious and productive work environment.

    Table of Contents

    1. Introduction
    2. Element #1: Assess Your Boss
    3. Element #2: Assess Yourself
    4. Element #3: Assess Your Willingness to Man Up
    5. Understanding Introverts and Extroverts
    6. Workplace Styles: Assessing Your Boss’s Workstyle Personality
    7. Difficult Bosses

    Introduction

    The number one reason people quit their jobs is because of their boss. Despite the abundance of resources on leadership, there is little guidance on how to manage up effectively. In the real world, most of us spend more time following than leading. Even leaders must follow someone. Hence, learning how to be an empowered follower and manage those above us is crucial for career success. Managing up is about taking control of your workplace experience, enhancing cooperation, and creating strong, productive relationships with your superiors.

    Element #1: Assess Your Boss

    Before you can manage up, you need to understand your boss. Assess their workstyle personality, communication preferences, priorities, goals, and challenges. This understanding allows you to adapt your strategies to create a more effective working relationship.

    • Understanding their workstyle: Identify whether your boss is an introvert or extrovert, their preferred communication style, and their decision-making process.
    • Recognizing their goals: Know what your boss is trying to achieve and how they measure success. Align your efforts with their objectives to build trust and demonstrate your value.
    • Identifying challenges: Be aware of the pressures and obstacles your boss faces. Offer solutions and support to help them overcome these challenges.
    "Your boss isn’t going to change who she is or how she operates just because you would prefer her to be different." - Mary Abbajay

    Effective management starts with a thorough assessment of your boss. Understanding their workstyle, whether they are introverted or extroverted, is crucial. Introverts (Innies) often prefer minimal external stimulation, while extroverts (Outies) thrive on interaction. Recognizing these traits helps in tailoring your communication and interactions. Assessing your boss’s communication preferences and decision-making process also aids in aligning your approach to match their style.

    Furthermore, understanding your boss’s goals and priorities allows you to align your efforts with their objectives. This alignment not only demonstrates your value but also builds trust and strengthens your relationship. It is equally important to be aware of the challenges and pressures your boss faces. Offering solutions and support can help them navigate these challenges, further solidifying your role as a valuable team member.

    Element #2: Assess Yourself

    Managing up requires self-awareness and honesty about your own workstyle, strengths, weaknesses, and compatibility with your boss. Understanding yourself helps you adapt your behavior and communication to better align with your boss’s expectations.

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