2.<\/strong> Understand Your Boss<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3.<\/strong> Self-Awareness<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4.<\/strong> Clear Expectations\/Boundaries<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5.<\/strong>\u00a0Enhance Communication<\/p>\n\n\n\n Intention and Responsibility<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step in managing up is taking responsibility for the relationship. This decision must be made intentionally. Unfortunately, many employees never take on this responsibility. There are a million and one books that provide advice on how to be an effective leader. This overabundance of leadership information promotes the singular message that it is the sole responsibility of the supervisor to manage the supervisor-employee relationship. However, this is not the complete truth. Your boss may make final decisions and have a dominant impact, but you still have influence. This influence is critical to your success because it will affect your job resources, career growth opportunities, level of trust and autonomy, along with financial rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important that you intentionally implement strategies to grow and expand this influence, while recognizing that certain actions have the opposite effect. To effectively manage up, you must increase your level of influence, by identifying and acting on opportunities to grow it. See the relationship as a co-partnership with your supervisor, while avoiding excessive pressure, over-responsibility and guilt, for managing all or part of your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understand Your Boss<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The easiest way to get your manager to care about what is important to you is to first understand them. Learn your manager\u2019s goals and priorities, and align your work with their needs. Ask key questions such as \u201cWhat\u2019s important to my manager?\u201d, \u201cHow do they like to work?\u201d and \u201cWhat can I do to make their job easier?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Career specialists recommend you gain in-depth knowledge of a manager\u2019s personality, preferences, and goals. It\u2019s important to understand vital areas, which can include knowing your manager\u2019s ideas of success, core values, type of workstyle, preferred methods of communicating and past career experiences that influenced him or her. Engage with your boss frequently, having in-depth and quality discussions. Gaining knowledge of your manager\u2019s working style, pain points, management challenges and larger organizational vision is key, as you can better align yourself to meet your manager\u2019s expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-Awareness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For a manager to achieve his or her expectations and goals, they must be able to find the right person for the right job. Knowing and communicating your strengths and weaknesses can greatly assist your supervisor. By communicating your strengths to your supervisor, it will allow him or her to assign the appropriate tasks and projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Determine ways to optimize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. A discussion with your manager will help you get increased insight, along with gaining an understanding of mutual expectations. It will also set conditions and limitations to goals, with regards to whatever can be realistically achieved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Clear Expectations and Boundaries<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To attain value for your manager, you will need to help him\/her reach specific goals. In other words, it\u2019s important to know what specifically your boss needs from you. Determining job expectations is extremely important, as it ensures that you are working towards a specific outcome. Without clear expectations and defined measures, you will not be able to prioritize daily responsibilities, understand what initiatives are critical or understand your progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, it is also vital to express your own expectations to your supervisor. These expectations may come in the form of your own goals, or they may be expressed in terms of boundaries and limitations. Expectations will also show up in terms workload, timelines and overtime hours. If your manager has specific goals, then it needs to be understood that goals require time, energy and resources to achieve. Your professional life depends on how well you communicate both your aspirations and boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enhance Communication<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Underlying all of the forementioned strategies is the skill of communication. When it comes to communication it is important that you understand you manager\u2019s preferred communication channels and style. Channels of communication are specific methods such as email, meetings, reporting, one-on-one discussions, etc. It is essential that you communicate to them in their preferred channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Communication styles are the different approaches that people use to express their thoughts, feelings and opinions. These communication styles are multifaceted and include verbal and non-verbal communication, such as body language and facial expressions. Entire volumes of books have been written on communication styles. However, it does not take research studies to prove that stronger communication abilities can positively enhance relationships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pay attention to how your manager communicates and attempt to understand your boss\u2019s \u201cstyle\u201d, determining the specific ways and approaches your boss prefers to communicate. In the end, when you are able to properly analyze your manager\u2019s style you will find that it will greatly enhance the relationship, as there is a strong link between communication abilities and employee satisfaction. Always seek ways to improve communication, becoming stronger at listening, influencing, negotiation and resolving conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kerryn Joseph Wayow<\/strong> Pinnacle Plus Career Services provides support for career searches for both adults and youth, focusing on gaining greater career clarity and development. If you\u2019re facing challenges in figuring out your next career move, career counseling and an effective career development process can assist you in creating, planning, and achieving your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact Us:<\/strong>![\"Pinnacle](\"http:\/\/ontariotogether.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Cambridge-Pinnacle-Plus-Career-Services-scaled-e1740358778930-575x1024.webp\")
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Career Counsellor<\/strong> | Pinnacle Plus Career Services<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Phone:<\/strong> (519) 603-0060
Email:<\/strong> pinnacleplus@execulink.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n