Ever accidentally texted your boss calling them a bitch? No? Just Lucy then. But whether or not you've had a managing up horror story, you've definitely had a moment where you didn't know how to communicate with senior leadership, and it cost you.
Managing up is one of those leadership skills no one actually teaches you. You're expected to know how to give feedback to your boss, how to escalate problems without looking like you're dumping them, and how to build trust with your manager, all while making it look effortless.
But here's the thing: your boss doesn't want you to be a hero who handles everything alone.
They want to know what's going on, what you need, and how they can help. The leaders who get this right don't just survive, they become the person everyone wants on their team.
In this episode, we cover:
- What managing up actually means and why most leaders get it wrong
- How to communicate with senior leadership without wasting their time
- The difference between problem solving and problem dumping on your boss
- How to give feedback to your boss when the relationship feels intimidating
- Why building trust at work starts with transparency, not perfection
- How to structure one on one meetings so difficult conversations have a home
- The "hit me with the headlines" approach to communicating with your boss
Lucy's leadership program for managers β https://www.thegracefulcollective.com/managementcollective
Lucy Allen and Kel Stambanis share real stories from their time working together, including what they each did well (and not so well) when it came to how to talk to senior leadership. If you've ever held back from escalating something because you didn't want to look weak, this one's for you.
Connect with us:
Lucy Allen
Kel Stambanis
Mentioned in this episode:
Mangement Collective
Non-boring and very fun cross-industry professional development, training and networking for new and emerging managers and people leaders.
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