This week, Modern Mentor is talking about managing up. Here's a sneak peek:
If I’ve learned anything over the years about leaders it’s this: most of them want to do a great job supporting their teams. And when they show up as less than ideal it’s almost always because they don’t know what awesome looks like. Because, while they need to be the expert on a lot of things, only we are the experts in leading us. They need our help in managing them to better manage us.
A good friend of mine is a doctor at a renowned children’s hospital. She’s one of the best in her field and has worked harder than most to get to where she is. Also, she’s a single mom. And proud of it.
Recently, when a big opportunity arose in her world, she decided to go for it. But before she could get her hat in the ring, her boss told her the job had gone to someone else. “I know how much you’re balancing,” he told her, “between the job and your kids. I didn’t want to put that pressure on you.”
My friend was devastated. Her boss meant well—truly, he did. But his good intentions left her in a pit of despair. He made assumptions when he should have been asking questions.
I see this kind of thing often. Our bosses mean well. But they often aren’t asking the questions they should. So, we can accept that—along with the consequences—or we can step into the driver’s seat and help them manage us as we’d like to be managed.
Will they follow our counsel every time? Um, not a chance. But if we give them good intel at the start, our chances of being led well are just better.
Here are some things you can do to manage your manager into excellent management of you:
1. State your working preferences 2. Communicate your professional goals 3. Give feedback—good and bad—along the way 4. Appreciate their efforts out loud
As ancient Irish clans fought to preserve their lands and their way of life, the Queen and her generals fought to tame the wild land and make it English.
Hugh O'Neill, lord of the North, dubbed Earl of Tyrone by the Queen, is a divided man: the Queen gives to Hugh her love, and her commandments, through a little mirror of obsidian which he can never discard; and the ancient peoples of Ireland arise from their underworld to make Hugh their champion, the token of their vow a chip of flint.
