Managing Up (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

) pitch your ideas successfully, (2) connect with your audience, (3) establish credibility, (4) inspire others to carry out your vision, (5) adapt to stakeholders’ decision-making styles, (6) frame goals around common interests, and (7) build consensus and win support.

HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Communication. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press (2013).

Have I taken the primary responsibility for managing my relationship with my boss?
2. Am I aware of my manager’s expectations for me? Are they realistic?
3. Is my manager aware of what resources I need to meet those expectations?
4. How much does my boss know about what I’ve been doing for the past few months? If she doesn’t know enough, how can I correct that?
5. Am I reliably meeting my commitments? If not, how can I rectify shortcomings?
6. How well do my manager and I get along on a daily basis? Do we need to address any conflicts?
7. Do our oral and written interactions occur with ease? If not, how can I make our communications more seamless?
8. Do we trust each other? What can I do to increase the level of trust?
9. Do I back up my boss when I talk to others about her and execute her goals?
10. What could I do to support my manager more effectively?

Communicate strategically
In negotiations, persuasion is paramount. So the way you package your message is as important as the message itself. A few pointers can help:
• Avoid “you”-centered language. Use words like “I,” “we,” and “both” so you won’t sound accusatory. For example, say “I’m not clear about this point” rather than “You didn’t make that clear.” Or “Can we can meet that schedule?” rather than “Do you think your schedule is feasible?”
• Take a win-win approach. Indicate how your ideas will benefit your manager and the organization, not just you. Zero in on performance. For instance, say “Delegating these reports will free me up to spend more time pitching to clients.”
• Collaborate. Don’t just “dump” a problem on your manager and ask her what to do about it. Offer to set up a meeting so you can think through it together: Pick her brain, and share ideas of your own.

In negotiating with your manager about work priorities:
• Show that you are aware of all the projects for which you’re responsible. Even if part of your proposal is to delegate a particular task to someone else, don’t speak about that task dismissively.
• Specify clearly what you can and cannot do in the time you have. Propose more than one option for reconfiguring what’s on your plate. And be open to alternatives that your manager suggests.
• Ask for help setting deadlines for new work to avoid slowing down other projects. Put together simple charts that show where competing schedules overlap; they can be fabulous visual aids as you plot out the new trajectories.
• Follow up with an e-mail to seal the deal. Putting the results of your negotiation in writing gives you and your manager a handy reference point as you implement changes.

Here are some tips for earning your manger’s trust in a negotiation:
• Be sincere. Express your conviction that your proposal is worth your boss’s time and attention, and explicitly state your commitment to it. You might say, “I really believe in this, and here’s why . . .”
• Highlight your track record. Remind your boss of commitments you’ve previously honored—and of the positive results that ensued.
• Welcome suggestions. Listen to your manager’s concerns and consider how you might account for them in your proposed plan.
• Put your boss’s interests first. When your manager knows that you care about her goals and needs, she’ll be more likely to trust your ideas.
• Be candid. Own up to your proposal’s limitations. By showing that you’re aware of them, you’ll demonstrate that you’re realistic and thinking about how to avoid problems.
To establish your expertise:
• Present your research. Gather as much information as you can about the idea you’re proposing, but summarize it succinctly. Back it up with your most compelling data. Lay out counterarguments to show that you’ve considered potential objections.
• Gain firsthand experience. Participate in pilot projects to deepen your knowledge; join cross functional teams to broaden it. Share what you’ve learned with your boss, either in writing or during check-ins.
• Cite trusted sources. Name the people you’ve spoken with about your ideas, recount their reactions and experiences, and refer your manager to them when that’s feasible. Testimonials from folks your boss respects will go a long way.
• Offer proof of concept. Initiate your own tests, particularly if you’re not able to gain firsthand experience in an existing forum. For example, you might run a mini-experiment with your own direct reports before suggesting that your manager try it with you and others who report to her.
With trust and expertise in your arsenal, you’re more likely to succeed in any negotiation you under take.

To disagree constructively with your manager, show respect and understanding for her point of view, and demonstrate that you care about achieving the best result for the organization. Here are some ways to do that:
• Link your idea directly with your manager’s and your organization’s goals. This will show that you are motivated by a desire to collaborate and achieve shared aims, not to be contrary.
• Provide suggestions that your manager can act on, not just objections. You can say something like, “How about contacting others in the industry who have used this system to see if they’re having the same problems? Would you like me to draw up a list of people to call and schedule some time with them?”
• Explain how your idea can prevent pitfalls. Identify those pitfalls in precise terms, and present supporting data to show that your proposal is fact-based rather than emotional.
• Offer a range of options. Binary choices (“Your way or my way”) are likely to meet resistance. Suggesting a few possibilities signals your flexibility and invites your manager to respond in kind.
• Give verbal and nonverbal feedback. Use phrases such as “I see” or “I know what you mean.” Nod or smile to indicate understanding.
• Avoid “hot button” language. If, for example, your boss always recoils when someone describes an approach as a “best practice” or “the next big thing,” find another way to express yourself.
• Reflect your manager’s concerns as you speak. For instance, “I understand that you’re worried about how this new plan will work, and I was initially concerned about that, too. But when I did some research, I realized something important . . .”

How to present problems and opportunities
One of your manager’s main jobs is responding to news, both bad and good. She must factor brand-new problems and opportunities into existing goals, plans, and work flows. You can help by following this process:
1. Describe the impact in clear terms. In discussing a problem, pinpoint how it affects your work and your organization’s performance. In presenting an opportunity, outline the potential benefits. Explain exactly how solving this problem or seizing this opportunity will help you and your manager achieve your shared goals.
2. Identify your solution or approach. Recommend a specific plan, but also present other options. Outline the pros and cons of each possibility and explain why you favor the one you do.
3. Flesh out the implications. Do your best to identify everyone who has a stake in the matter. Give concrete examples of the risks and benefits for each stakeholder. If you have tested your solution or approach on a small scale, present the results and what you have learned from them.
4. Fine-tune your plan. Actively engage your manager in developing a final action plan to increase the likelihood of smooth implementation. Doing this will demonstrate your commitment to ensuring success.

Every exchange of information with your manager has implications for productivity. These tips will help you be more efficient:
• When discussing deadlines, use specific language. Pinpoint a certain date—even a specific hour, if appropriate. Avoid vague commitments like “sometime next week,” “ASAP,” or “as soon as we can get to it.”
• Be honest about what you can and cannot handle. When you commit to an assignment, clearly identify what resources you need to get the job done.
• Explicitly identify your objectives each time you communicate with your manager.
• Ask questions to clarify what you don’t understand. Inquire about opportunities for follow-up in case you think of other questions later.

Start by asking yourself these questions:
• Is my manager a listener or a reader? Listeners want to hear information first and read about it later. Readers prefer to see a written report before discussing it with you.
• Does she prefer detailed facts and figures or just an overview? If she thrives on details, focus primarily on accuracy and completeness; if she prefers an overview, emphasize the clarity and crispness of the main idea.
• How often does she want to receive information? Your manager may always want to receive updates at specified junctures or she may have different thresholds for each project, such as daily reporting on critical endeavors and periodic updates on secondary initiatives.