Managing Up

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HOW TO MOVE UP, WIN AT WORK, AND SUCCEED WITH ANY TYPE OF BOSS

Words and Phrases

  • Hunt for villains/ˈvilən/: evil
  • The world is not a meritocracy: ruled by qualified people
  • Sucking up is for suckers: behave obsequiously/əbˈsēkwēəs/ 低三下四; foolish
  • help you excel, adapt, and succeed.
  • being a spineless/ai/ sycophant/ˈsɪkəfænt/ and being a strategic survivor: 拍马屁者
  • If your boss is a discriminatory cheat or an abusive person: extremely offensive
  • I save my f‐bombs for friends: “fuck” alternative
  • if you don’t have the luxury to quit: financial and social security
  • What are my non-negotiables?
  • exhausted and demoralized 士气低落
  • Between the Dream Boss and the Nightmare Boss lie a host of other manager experiences: be situated in a specified position or direction
  • I don’t feel very connected to her.
  • there is nothing innately good or bad about either preference: inborn characteristic
  • Don’t overthink/overdo it. Just answer.
  • People consider me “outgoing” or as a people person.
  • Being around too many people drains me.
  • Getting information or feedback from her is like pulling teeth.
  • Roger was game to try: eager or willing to do something new or challenging
  • I was able to be more empathetic: understand and share the feelings of another.
  • They tend to leave you alone and give you lots of personal space to get your work done, vs be inclined to do
  • they may also be less likely to solicit/səˈlisət/ input on ideas: ask for or try to obtain
  • process before responding
  • To make matters worse, he would often contradict himself midsentence.
  • She is talkative, like having brainstorming session
  • their energy is from external stimuli
  • do it on a regular basis
  • challenges of xxx come into play when xxx
  • over-share or share information prematurely
  • jumping into action too quickly without allowing enough time for reflection
  • I learned it the hard way: 惨痛的教训
  • over-rely on xxx
  • give me a moment to process
  • I am a highly independent self-starter
  • It’s the platinum rule: treat others as they want to be treated.
  • I never worry about action, but only about inaction.
  • Bosses are result-oriented, driven, decisive/ai/, ambitious, and confident.
  • You will be expected to work hard and possibly for long hours.
  • I definitely pushed myself in ways that put me way out of my comfort zone
  • got in the habit of always being prepared and organized, thinking ahead of time
  • He seemed under-qualified for his position
  • I did not want to disrupt the team dynamic by changing roles
  • He tends to appear emotionally stable
  • Bosses are often methodical/a/ people. 有條理的
  • Look around for a mentor who is in the next stage of your career
  • Do it well or not at all
  • they don’t tolerate sloppy/a/ work 马虎的工作
  • An Evaluator Boss may come across(appear in a specified way) as a micromanager or nitpicker
  • do things on a whim /wɪm/突发奇想 or with a "gut feeling"直觉
  • the idea is not backed by details
  • catch things that others on the team haven’t thought of.
  • they can sometimes miss the forest for the trees.
  • That being said话虽如此, your Evaluator Boss likely has even higher standards. They are perfectionists, after all!
  • put in the extra effort to make your work look polished and thorough
  • L6 engineer should be very diplomatic 善于交涉的
  • He values quality over everything
  • measure twice, cut once 三思而后行
  • his approach may seem cold or unfeeling 冷漠无情
  • I now take the time to critically review and poke holes in my own ideas. (challenge, pressure-test)
  • you are more likely to experience mediocre or difficult bosses than great bosses.
  • underuse / overuse, overthink -> not common to say underthink but overlooked or failed to consider
  • that boss delegates(send tasks) too much runs the risk of too disengaged
  • Narcissist /ˈnɑːrsɪsɪst/
  • Workaholic /ˌwɝkə’hɔlɪk/
  • Psycho /'saɪko/
  • people are never 100 percent of anything 100 percent of the time: No one is always one thing, all the time.
  • You will learn strategies to navigate(manage) other difficult people in your life
  • address that particular dysfunction
  • Assume positive intent, rather than from an evil intent
  • All human behavior stems from some inner drive, want, or need.
  • Can I live with this behavior? 适应;
  • She had no autonomy and no opportunity to use her experience or expertise.
  • i am totall swamped/swɑːmp/(overwhelmed)
  • do more in the short run in order to gain more in the long run.

How to manage those who manage us?

Establishing strong, productive working relationships is the single most effective way to accelerate success in any organization.

Her personality got her where she is today; his approach has been approved by the powers above him.

When confronted with any difficult situation you always have three choices:

  • Change the situation. (We know this is almost impossible, since we can’t actually change other people and getting your boss fired is a long‐term play.)
  • Leave the situation. (Only you can decide when this is the best strategy, and sometimes it is.)
  • Accept and adapt to the situation. (Learn to manage up!)

The adaptive skills that you use to manage up will be many of the same skills you will use to manage down.

Is Your Boss an Innie or Outie?

an introvert (an Innie) or an extrovert (an Outie) or an ambivert /ˈambəˌvərt/

Building and maintaining a successful working relationship with your boss requires communicating effectively and making sure you are working with their source of energy and not against it.

Everybody has a little of both and nobody is 100 percent of anything all the time.

The Innie

Proven Strategies to Manage Up the Introvert

  • Take the initiative to meet
  • Give them time to process and prepare
  • Keep them in the loop
  • Limit impromptu/imˈpräm§ˌto͞o/ “pop‐in” meetings: unplanned, ad-hoc
  • Embrace electronic communication.
  • Seek out other extroverts to think out loud
  • Be okay with silence.
  • Think W-A-I-T: why am i talking
  • take responsibility to ask open-ended questions
  • Beware the Innie‐Innie trap.

The Outie

Strategy Recap

  • Engage the Outie in conversation.
  • Exhibit friendliness and openness.
  • Speak up!
  • Listen to your boss’s ideas and help her sort out external processing.
  • Recap action items before taking action.
  • Make time for face‐to‐face conversations or pick up the phone and talk to your boss.
  • Welcome and participate in brainstorming.
  • Manage your own extroversion to avoid the Outie‐Outie trap.

Boss Workplace style

The advancer 推进者

Manage up Strategy

  • Speed up!
  • Avoid analysis paralysis/pə’rælɪsɪs/: overthinks every detail, no action taken
  • Bring solutions, not problems
  • Request, don’t complain
  • Don’t take it personally: What just happened is not about you as a person, so don’t feel hurt, offended, or attacked
  • ask what, not how
  • do your own homework
  • Don’t get mushy/ˈmʌʃi/: 多愁善感的
  • Don’t compete for authority
  • Oppose with caution
  • Get it done: complete your boss’s priorities first and follow up with status updates.

The Energizer

Manage up Strategy

  • Be positive and support new ideas from the outset.
  • Get involved in team projects and volunteer to lead.
  • Keep track of new projects, but follow up before spending time on plans and details.
  • Meet with your boss regularly and get to know her as a person.
  • Seek guidance for priorities and then execute the details.

The Harmonizer 协调者

Manage up Strategy

  • Don’t be a drama queen
  • Be a team player and show genuine concern for your boss and coworkers.
  • Approach change and conflict slowly and with a cool head.
  • Offer support for decision making and include others.
  • Avoid venting in front of your boss; find other outlets to express your emotions.
  • Show how your ideas improve safety or team cohesion.
  • Keep track of your own successes and look for ways to build your résumé.

The Evaluator

Manage up Strategy

  • Do your homework and provide your boss with as much detail as possible.
  • Focus on producing fewer but better projects, and pay attention to
  • Give your Evaluator Boss plenty of time to respond to requests.
  • Avoid emotional responses and try to stay objective in conflict.
  • Learn to love facts and support your ideas with evidence.
  • Separate work criticism from personal criticism – it’s not about you as a person!

Micromanager

Discover the drivers

  • Insecurity / neuroticism/njuə’rɔtisizəm/
  • Perfectionism/Extremely High Standards

Strategies

  • Don’t resist
  • Stay one step ahead

Know that every quarter a certain project or report is due, then several weeks before the project is due start letting your boss know that it is on your radar and to‐do list.

  • Develop trust
  • Keep boss overly informed
  • Import stuff first
  • Seek feedback and don’t take it personally

If overly instructed, ask your boss about their preferences. Find out why they prefer that approach.

  • Deliver high-quality work every time
  • Ask and recap

list of questions I can always ask:

  1. The context of the assignment (what and why this is needed)
  2. The parameters of the assignment (what it needs to include/not include)
  3. The deadline (when it is due to her)
  4. How much review she needs and when
  5. Who else may need to contribute to the project
  6. Her preferences for approach and execution

what does successful completion of this project look like to her?

  • Learn and attend to their concerns

Learn what matters to your boss’s boss and what they are being held accountable for.

  • Look at your own behavior.
  • Look at your coworkers.
  • Be consistent and patient.