Managing Up: The Leadership Skill No One Teaches You

The Leadership Skill No One Teaches You

Managing Up

When we think about leadership, we usually imagine managing a team—delegating, coaching, and making decisions. But what happens when the challenge isn’t leading others… it’s leading upward?

“Managing up” is a critical and often overlooked skill that can determine your long-term success just as much as managing people beneath you. Coined and explored deeply by project management expert Dana Brownlee in her book The Unwritten Rules of Managing Up, this concept reframes how we engage with our bosses—not as passive recipients of instructions, but as active collaborators who help their managers lead more effectively.

Read the Book Summary here
The Unwritten Rules of Managing Up

Every Boss is Different—Adaptability is Key

In the modern workplace, bosses come with unique leadership styles, personalities, and blind spots. Some are intense and demanding, like the Tornado Boss who dominates conversations and decisions. Others micromanage every detail, or float high above the work as Wishful Thinkers, full of vision but short on direction. The key to thriving under any of these styles? Adaptation. Not manipulation. Not people-pleasing. Strategic, emotionally intelligent adaptation.

What Managing Up Looks Like in Practice

With the Tornado Boss

You meet early, prepare thoroughly, and structure discussions so their voice is heard—but not at the expense of others’.

With the Micromanager

You proactively provide updates, clarify responsibilities in writing, and gently redirect their focus to higher priorities.

With the Wishful Thinker

You ground visionary ideas with practical timelines and resource needs, transforming optimism into action.

Why It Matters

In each scenario, you’re not just surviving a boss’s personality—you’re making them more effective by being the employee they can rely on.

Managing up isn’t about fixing your boss. It’s about making the relationship more productive, which benefits you, your team, and your organization.

When you manage up well:

  • You reduce friction and misunderstandings.

  • Your work is more visible and respected.

  • You build trust and influence without formal authority.

  • You create space for upward growth and strategic conversations.

Most importantly, you empower your manager to succeed—which inevitably reflects well on you.

If you want to develop this crucial skill, start here:

Ready to Get Started?

  • Learn your boss’s preferred communication style.

  • Ask what success looks like for them (and how you can support it).

  • Anticipate problems before they arise.

  • Speak truth to power with tact and clarity.

  • Offer your manager solutions, not just problems.

Want to help your team master the skill of managing up?

We offer workshops, 1:1 coaching, and communication assessments that equip individuals to lead at any level. Let’s talk about building trust, navigating personalities, and driving better collaboration—top to bottom.

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