Effective Ways To Manage Up in the Workplace

In today’s cutthroat environment, having the basic skills will not lead you to the road of success in the workplace. One skill that differentiates the good workers from the great is having the ability to “manage up”.

In the April issue of PR Tactics and The Strategist Online, Ken Jacobs of Jacobs Communications Consulting, LLC writes a great article on Managing up: Helping your boss is the best way to help yourself. In this article, Jacob provides some key points on what is takes to be on the accelerated career track.

Jacob provides tips such as:

• Understand the assignment – Listen and ask your manager questions about your assignment. It will ensure that you and your supervisor are in sync.
• Lead with their need – Re-evaluate your goals along with your manager’s goals everyday. By making sure your managers’ priorities coincide with your own, you contribute to their success and in essence contribute to your success.
• Stay a step ahead – Before you accept or recommend a deadline, think about how long it will take to complete an assignment and what you already have on your plate. Build in extra time so if something comes up beyond your control, you will still be able to meet the deadline.
• No surprises – Sharing bad news such as a deadline that can’t be met, a budget cutback or unanticipated results is part of your job so sharing it at the last moment with your manager is unacceptable. Keep the communication lines open so you can create a bond of trust with your manager.
• Plan for the unplanned – Keep on top of your daily work assignments because your manager will bring you new assignments, deadlines and problems to solve and you will get appreciation when you can say, “I’m on it.”

For more information on Ken Jacob’s article, go to Managing up: Helping your boss is the best way to help yourself.