THE ART OF MANAGING UPWARD

When you manage things and systems, you typically manage things under your control. With people, it is with people that you influence. You manage the system that you set up to achieve a particular goal. Perhaps you manage your team. Typically, we think of the management process as managing downward to those who report to us and that’s due to the position and responsibility you have to them, it determines what they do, the time factor, and the criteria. Nor is this particularly easy— it requires lots of knowledge and skills.

Question: Is it possible to manage upward? Can a person manage her supervisor, manager, CEO? Is is possible for us to learn skills and processes by which we can influence those who are above us in a given organizational hierarchy? Answer: The answer is yes you can. Yes, it is possible. Similarly, it is not easy as it also requires lots of knowledge and skills.

This was one of the questions that came up in Victoria Brazil last week when I was presenting Unleashing Leadership. Actually, it always comes up.