I was recently talking to a high-achiever who wants to have a better working relationship with their manager. This high-achiever was getting their work done but uncertain of the best way to communicate with their manager.
They were trusting their manager less and was on the path to becoming disengaged at work. When I met with them, they were displaying a bit of catabolic energy (apathy, victim-mode, etc.), which is understandable given their circumstance.
Yes, it’s important for managers to cultivate a sense of belonging on their team and provide the necessary direction to their team members.
It’s also true that a team member (direct report) has shared opportunity/responsibility (Response-Ability) to manage up.
Without effective communication, their can be unmet expectations and often times this disconnect leads to a frustrated manager and a frustrated direct report. If left unchecked, this can degrade collaboration and overall team effectiveness.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
If you are in a similar situation, try “Managing Up”. You may have heard this term but this graphic is to help you put action behind the phrase.
I created this tool from my own experiences, research, and advice given to me by former mentors and managers.
I offer this as a tool if you need a starting point of how to “Manage Up & Make Make Yourself Invaluable”. And if you are a people leader, pass this along to your team members as they may find value in it.
One note: implement this list from the bottom, up.
For people looking to improve their relationship with manager, do you use this process? What else do you do?
For people leaders, what would you add to this or change to better help your direct reports/team members?
Check out our resources page: LeadCommGym Equipment List aka Resources Page
Let’s grow together!
#leadershipdevelopment #collaboration #softskillstraining #leaderdeveloper #leadersarelearners #togetherisbetter
