Manage your Boss to get Ahead!
The technique of managing your manager without them realising is known as “managing up”. The more you manage up, the more your manager will recognize your value. In a Gulf context were often the boss is the king or queen of their kingdom you need to use these techniques with cultural appropriateness.
The benefits are that your manager will see you add value, are worth investing in and supporting. In short, it’s a win-win strategy.
Focus on your Deliverable
Its important to make best use of time and focus on the deliverable. Avoid talking too much on the history to a problem as most people in your meeting will already know this. Listeners will zone out and get lost in irrelevant details. Focus on re-framing the problem from your perspective. Ask yourself what’s the minimum backstory necessary to set the context.
Show your Thought Process and be Proactive
Instead of recommending something, recommend it with a justification within which you outline your thought process. Importantly state you look at alternatives and different viewpoints. Here is a good template: “X is a good approach. It has worked previously (present data, or examples). There are risks such as Y but we can control that by Z. What you think?”
Often your manager may be busy so its important you take a lead and take the reins & manage up proactively.
Ask Questions and Share your Viewpoint
Don’t only ask questions, but share your point of view. For example, instead of using a closed response of why? Follow it up with a more collaborative response along the lines of “that sounds interesting, do you think if this approach is followed the output would be x?”
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