Managing Up: A Practical Guide for Work

Clarify what good work looks like

Start with outcomes and responsibilities rather than guessing what will impress your manager. Ask which priorities matter most, what a useful result looks like and where you have authority to decide. If several people request work, clarify who resolves competing demands.

Try: ‘For this project, what outcome matters most, and which decisions should I make independently?’ Follow with ‘When would you want me to raise a risk rather than work through it myself?’ These questions make the working arrangement explicit without requiring constant permission.

Confirm important expectations in a concise summary. If the scope changes, revisit the agreement. A decision from several weeks ago may no longer fit current priorities. Do not interpret silence as confirmation when the consequences are significant.

Make updates easy to act on

Ask your manager which information they need, how often and through which channel. Some decisions need a conversation; routine progress may suit a short written note. Tailoring the format should make information clearer, not conceal inconvenient details.

A useful update separates progress, risk and the decision needed. For example: ‘The pilot is ready for review. The supplier date is uncertain, which could affect the launch. I recommend keeping the pilot separate from the full rollout. Can you confirm that approach before we brief the other teams?’

State uncertainty honestly. ‘On track’ is not useful if the plan depends on an unconfirmed assumption. Name what you know, what you do not know and when you expect to learn more. Avoid overwhelming the recipient with every activity when a clear decision is the real need.

Discuss priorities instead of overcommitting

When a new request competes with existing work, explain the trade-off rather than immediately promising both. Managing up includes making capacity visible. You can be cooperative while asking which task should move or what scope can change.

Example: ‘I can complete the client summary by Thursday or the revised analysis by Friday with the time available. Doing both at that scope would put the handover at risk. Which should come first, or can we reduce the analysis?’ Use realistic information, not an exaggerated deadline to win the discussion.

If a priority changes, confirm what stops or moves as well as what starts. Keep affected colleagues informed once the decision is agreed. A private agreement with your manager does not automatically update another team's expectations.

Raise a problem with context and options

Flag material risks while there is time to respond. Explain the effect on an agreed outcome and give options if you have enough information. Do not delay reporting a serious problem just because you have not found a complete solution.

Example: ‘The dependency we expected today is not confirmed. If we continue with the original sequence, the testing window could shrink. We could move the independent work forward or revise the launch scope. I need your help confirming which trade-off is acceptable.’

Keep ownership clear. Identify what you can do next and what decision or support belongs elsewhere. Bringing options is useful, but it does not mean you must solve every issue before asking for help. For safety, legal or conduct concerns, use the appropriate reporting process.

Disagree without making it personal

Anchor disagreement in the shared goal, evidence and trade-offs. First check that you understand the proposal. Then describe your concern and offer a practical alternative. Disagreeing constructively does not require pretending a concern is minor.

Example: ‘I understand the aim is to deliver sooner. My concern is that removing this review could leave the client requirements unchecked. Could we narrow the review to the highest-risk items instead?’ Ask what information would change the decision, and be open to constraints you have not seen.

If a decision remains within legitimate authority after discussion, clarify your responsibilities and record the agreed next steps. If the request is unsafe or unethical, normal disagreement scripts are not a substitute for the relevant escalation channel. Respectful communication does not mean unconditional compliance.

Use one-to-ones for feedback and support

Bring a small agenda: one priority, one decision and one development question where appropriate. An existing one-to-one can support alignment without creating another meeting. Ask for feedback about a specific work example rather than ‘Am I doing well?’

Try: ‘In the stakeholder update, was my recommendation clear enough to evaluate? What should I keep or change next time?’ If the answer is abstract, ask for the expected behaviour. ‘Be more proactive’ could mean raising a risk sooner, making a proposal or deciding independently; those are different practices.

Close the loop after trying a change. Explain what you did and ask whether it helped. Keep the relationship two-way: clarify what support you need, not only what you will do differently. Follow your organisation's review arrangements where they apply.

Choose one managing-up habit to practise

Pick a behaviour connected to a recurring work situation: decision-first updates, earlier risk flags or explicit priority trade-offs. Observe whether it made work clearer, not simply whether your manager praised it. A useful habit supports coordination and trust over time rather than impression management.

EraSkills can add other perspectives to your self-reflection on Communication, Collaboration, Influence, Leadership and Adaptability. Results use pooled feedback after at least three raters complete; they do not reveal one manager's rating or decide whether you deserve a promotion. Start with the free self-assessment, then choose a practice based on your work context and relevant feedback.