***Recommended for Rising Leader Squads***
Introduction
This session is designed to provide you with insights and strategies to effectively manage your relationships with senior leaders, ensuring that you can navigate your career progression smoothly and successfully. By the end of this session, you will have actionable strategies, a deeper understanding of best practices, and a supportive network of peers to help you continue your leadership journey.
Discussion Questions
- Understanding Managing Up
- What does "managing up" mean to you?
- Why is it important for rising leaders to manage up effectively?
- Can you share a time when managing up had a significant impact on your work or career?
- Building Relationships with Senior Leaders
- What are some effective ways to build trust and rapport with senior leaders?
- How can you understand and align with your senior leaders' priorities and goals?
- What are the potential challenges in building these relationships, and how can they be overcome?
- Communication Strategies
- What communication styles do senior leaders in your organization prefer?
- How can you present your ideas and feedback to senior leaders in a way that is well-received?
- Can you share a strategy for effectively communicating difficult news to a senior leader?
- Anticipating Needs and Adding Value
- How can you anticipate the needs of your senior leaders?
- What steps can you take to consistently add value to your team and organization?
- Can you provide examples of how you've proactively solved problems or provided solutions before being asked?
- Navigating Conflicts
- What strategies can you use to manage conflicts with senior leaders constructively?
- How do you handle disagreements or differing viewpoints with your senior leaders?
- Can you share a time when you successfully resolved a conflict with a senior leader?
Best Practices for Managing Up
- Be Proactive and Solution-Oriented
- Anticipate needs and address potential issues before they arise.
- Present solutions along with problems to demonstrate your problem-solving skills.
- Understand Their Goals and Priorities
- Take the time to learn what your senior leaders care about most.
- Align your work and objectives with their priorities to show that you are in sync.
- Communicate Effectively
- Tailor your communication style to match that of your senior leaders.
- Be concise, clear, and focused in your communication.
- Use data and evidence to support your points.
- Build Trust and Credibility
- Be reliable and follow through on your commitments.
- Maintain integrity and transparency in all your interactions.
- Show that you can be trusted with sensitive information and high-stakes tasks.
- Seek Feedback and Act on It
- Regularly ask for feedback to understand how you can improve.
- Implement the feedback and demonstrate your willingness to grow and adapt.
- Show appreciation for the feedback and the opportunity to learn.