Practical ways to manage up and influence effectively

Managing up often gets a bad rap. To some, it sounds like office politics, flattery, or manipulation. 

In reality, managing up is none of those things. It’s about building trust, creating clarity, and helping your boss succeed in a way that ultimately helps you and your team succeed too.

In high-growth startups and SMEs, where priorities shift quickly, managing up isn’t optional. 

If you can anticipate your manager’s needs, align with their priorities, and disagree constructively when needed, you’ll stand out as someone who adds real value.

This article offers a practical framework for managing up without losing authenticity. 

Why managing up matters

Your boss’s success is directly linked to your own. If they miss targets, fail to prioritise, or can’t secure resources, you and your team will feel the consequences.

Managing up is about reducing that risk. Harvard Business Review defines it as:

“Consciously working with your boss to obtain the best possible results for you, your boss, and your company”

The benefits of managing up mean everyone gains. For you, it brings better visibility, faster career progression, and less day-to-day frustration. 

For your boss, it reduces surprises, ensures more reliable execution, and provides stronger support when it matters most. 

For the company as a whole, it creates alignment across levels, speeds up decision-making, and cuts down on wasted effort.

Managing up should be about partnership, not politics.

1. Understand your boss’s priorities and style

Every leader has blind spots, preferences, and non-negotiables. To manage up effectively, you need to decode two things:

1. Priorities. What keeps them up at night? A CEO might be laser-focused on investor confidence and cash flow. A functional leader might care most about hitting departmental KPIs. If you know what matters most, you can present your work in terms that resonate.
   
   
2. Communication style. Some leaders want detail; others just need the headline. Some prefer data-driven reports; others rely on short Slack updates. Adjusting how you communicate can be the difference between being heard and being ignored.

“Great contributors look for what their leaders value and amplify it, making the whole team more effective.” - Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers

2. Anticipate needs and deliver clarity

Strong managers don’t just react; they stay ahead. Managing up means doing the same for your boss.

• Anticipate blockers. If you can flag a risk and propose solutions before it escalates, you’ll save leadership headaches and earn trust.
• Connect the dots. Tasks should be linked to business impact. Instead of saying, ‘We finished the campaign,’ say, ‘The campaign should reduce onboarding time by 20%’.
• Simplify complexity. Leaders deal with competing demands. If you can distil information into three clear options or a one-page summary, you become a trusted filter.

Gallup research found that only 50% of employees strongly agree they know what’s expected of them at work. 

Bringing clarity upward as well as downward strengthens alignment across the company.

As management thinker Peter Drucker said: “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” Anticipation means spotting needs before they’re voiced.

Before every meeting, ask yourself: What’s the decision they’ll need to make? What’s the risk they’ll worry about? What clarity can I provide?

3. Disagree constructively

Managing up isn’t about saying yes to everything. In fact, credibility comes from knowing when and how to push back.

Constructive disagreement requires three things:

• Timing. Avoid challenging decisions in the heat of the moment. Pick a calmer setting where your input will be heard.
• Framing. Anchor your perspective in shared goals: “I think this approach could put customer trust at risk, which would affect retention. Here’s an alternative.”
• Respect. Challenge ideas, not people. Keep the tone professional and solutions-focused.

“You don’t get to be an effective professional by always agreeing. You get there by thinking deeply and having the courage to say what you see.” - Patty McCord, Netflix’s former Chief Talent Officer

4. Keep it authentic

The danger with managing up is slipping into performance by telling leaders what they want to hear, or adopting a persona that doesn’t feel natural. 

That’s when it tips into politics.

Authenticity means:

• Being consistent. Show the same version of yourself to your boss and your peers.
• Owning mistakes. Admitting errors quickly builds credibility and trust.
• Focusing on impact, not image. Deliver results and let them speak for you.

“The best way to build influence is not to pretend to be someone you’re not, but to show the best of who you already are.” - Executive coach Jennifer Petriglieri

Summary

Managing up isn’t about being a yes person or mastering office politics. 

It’s about creating alignment, reducing friction, and building a stronger partnership with your boss.

The practical steps are simple:

1. Understand their priorities and communication style.
2. Anticipate needs and deliver clarity.
3. Disagree constructively.
4. Stay authentic.

Get this balance right, and you’ll make your boss’s job easier, accelerate your own growth, and make your whole team more effective.

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