Managing up

You may be a good manager, but just as important to your career is the need to manage up. “Managing up is the ability to communicate up the chain of command,” says Sharon Daniels, CEO of raining firm AchieveGlobal. “Today’s top leaders need timely, accurate information from their managers in order to decide what’s best for business.”

Organizations have become less hierarchical and IT managers and directors may oversee large numbers of employees, so frontline managers need to disseminate the right information for senior executives to make decisions about the business. “With a fast-paced environment and so many people involved, leaders really do depend on that collaborative relationship and frank discussion about what the business needs in order to succeed and grow,” Daniels says. She notes that sharing feedback and ideas with your boss can help position you as a thought leader and pave the way for a promotion.

To manage up, establish a good working relationship with your boss, find out your managers’ expectations and objectives from the outset and choose appropriate times to communicate, Daniels suggests.

In a recent Network World article, three CIOs talked about the steps that led to their success. Each was practiced in the art of managing up by sharing feedback and ideas about IT and taking on high-profile projects that others in the organization would notice.

You also may be interested in an article about how IT leaders have grown in their careers by taking on positions in other parts of the business. For example, Tasty Baking Co.’s former CIO recently transitioned into a new role of head of operations.

Whatever managerial level you’re currently at, it’s clear that communicating with senior executives and sharing your ideas helps boost your profile in the organization and can land you plum projects or promotions.