S5 Ep4: Managing Up: How to Build Strong Relationships with Senior Stakeholders

Welcome back to Your Path to Career Success! In this episode, I’m diving deep into the vital skill of Managing Up—a crucial aspect of career advancement that involves building strong, productive relationships with senior stakeholders.

Join me as I explore the essence of managing up, from aligning your goals with those of your leaders to effective communication strategies that foster trust and credibility. You'll learn practical tips to articulate your contributions in a way that resonates with senior management, paving the way for your professional growth.

Whether you're aiming for a promotion or simply want to enhance your current role, this episode is packed with insights to help you navigate the complexities of workplace dynamics. 

So grab your favourite beverage, find a comfy spot, and get ready to elevate your leadership game!

I want to hear from you!

What strategies have you found most effective in building strong relationships with senior stakeholders in your workplace?

Share your response with me at Kathryn@thecareerowl.co.uk, and you might be featured in a future episode!

 
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Stay tuned for more golden nuggets to help you navigate the winding roads of your professional journey. 

#ManagingUp #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerSuccess #StakeholderEngagement #ProfessionalGrowth #YourPathToCareerSuccess

Useful Resources:

·       "Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss" by Mary Abbajay: This book provides practical strategies for effectively managing relationships with your boss and senior leaders.

·       "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High" by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler: A guide on how to have difficult conversations with confidence and clarity, especially in high-pressure situations.

Transcript

Podcast Season 5 Episode 4: Managing Up: How to Build Strong Relationships with Senior Stakeholders

Welcome back to Your Path to Career Success! 

I’m Kathryn, your host, and I’m thrilled to have you here today. 

Whether you’re tuning in during your morning commute, taking a break with a coffee, or winding down after a busy day, I’m excited to dive into today’s topic with you.

Now today, we’re tackling a crucial yet often challenging topic—Managing Up. Building strong relationships with senior stakeholders.  This is key to your success in any role, but it can be especially important if you’re looking to advance in your career. Knowing how to communicate effectively with those at the top can help you get the support you need for your projects, gain valuable insights, and position yourself as a trusted advisor.

We’ll explore what managing up really means, how to align your goals with those of senior stakeholders, and practical tips for building these relationships over time. Plus, we’ll discuss how to highlight these skills when applying for new roles, so you can show prospective employers that you’re adept at working with leadership.

But before we jump in, I invite you to grab your favourite beverage, find a comfy spot, and get ready to level up your leadership game. Let’s dive in!

Segment 1: What Does Managing Up Mean?
Managing up is often misunderstood, but at its core, it involves building a productive and mutually beneficial relationship with your manager and other senior stakeholders. It's a strategic approach that requires you to navigate the complexities of organisational dynamics while maintaining your integrity and authenticity. This isn’t about being a ‘yes person’—someone who agrees with everything their manager says or does—nor is it about merely trying to impress them at every turn. Instead, managing up is about understanding their goals, priorities, and challenges and finding meaningful ways to align your work with those objectives.

When effectively executed, managing up can lead to several positive outcomes. First, it fosters better collaboration within teams. By actively engaging with senior leaders and understanding their perspectives, you create a dialogue that encourages open communication. This can result in a more cohesive team environment where everyone feels informed and empowered to contribute.

Moreover, effective managing up increases visibility for your work. When you can articulate how your projects align with the broader organisational objectives, senior stakeholders are more likely to recognise your contributions. This not only enhances your professional reputation but also opens doors for future opportunities and collaborations.

Another critical aspect of managing up is that it provides you with a clearer understanding of the bigger picture. Senior leaders are often focused on strategic direction, long-term planning, and broader organisational goals. By understanding what matters to them, you can position your ideas and recommendations in ways that resonate with their priorities. This alignment makes it easier to gain their support and ensures that your contributions are perceived as valuable and relevant.

Furthermore, managing up is particularly vital if you aspire to move into leadership roles yourself. Demonstrating your ability to manage up effectively showcases that you can think beyond your immediate responsibilities and consider the wider impact of your work on the organisation as a whole. It indicates that you are proactive, strategic, and capable of influencing outcomes, all of which are essential traits for any leader.

For those of you currently preparing for interviews, it's essential to reflect on specific instances where you've successfully aligned your projects with broader business goals or helped solve challenges faced by senior leaders. Think about the initiatives you’ve taken that demonstrate your understanding of the company’s strategic direction. For example, have you participated in a project that contributed to a major organisational goal, or did you offer insights that helped senior leaders navigate a significant challenge? These examples will be powerful when discussing your ability to manage up.

In summary, managing up is not just a buzzword; it's a fundamental skill that can significantly influence your career trajectory. By mastering this skill, you enhance your professional relationships, increase your visibility, and position yourself as a key player in your organisation's success.

Segment 2: Aligning Your Goals with Senior Stakeholders
Aligning your goals with those of senior stakeholders is crucial for building a strong working relationship and ensuring that your contributions are valued within the organisation. To begin this process, you must first understand the specific objectives and priorities that senior leaders are focused on. This may include initiatives such as driving growth, improving operational efficiency, enhancing customer satisfaction, or successfully navigating organisational changes.

Take the initiative to learn about these priorities through various channels. Attend town hall meetings to gather insights on strategic direction, read company reports and updates, and engage in informal conversations with senior leaders. Asking questions directly can provide clarity on what they hope to achieve and the challenges they face. The more knowledge you acquire about their objectives, the better you can align your work to support their goals effectively.

Once you’ve established a clear understanding of what’s important to your senior stakeholders, look for opportunities to connect your work with those priorities. For instance, if a senior leader is focused on cost reduction, think critically about how your projects can help streamline processes, eliminate inefficiencies, or reduce expenses. Similarly, if innovation is a key focus, consider how your initiatives could lead to new solutions, products, or improvements that align with that vision.

When presenting your ideas or providing updates, always frame them in a way that highlights their alignment with strategic goals. Rather than merely recounting what you’ve accomplished, emphasise why your work matters in the broader context of the organisation’s objectives. This approach demonstrates your awareness of how your role contributes to the company’s success and reinforces your value to senior stakeholders.

It’s important to remember that alignment isn’t a one-time task; it’s an ongoing process that requires regular engagement. Priorities can shift, particularly in fast-paced environments, so continually check in with your senior leaders and adapt your strategies as necessary. This adaptability not only showcases your attentiveness to organisational needs but also reflects your commitment to contributing to the company's overall success.





Segment 3: Communicating Effectively with Senior Stakeholders
Communicating effectively with senior stakeholders can be one of the most significant challenges when managing up. Senior leaders often have limited time and need information that is clear, concise, and directly relevant to their concerns. Therefore, it's crucial to be strategic about how you present your updates and ideas.

When engaging with senior leaders, get straight to the point. Prioritise the key outcomes, challenges, and next steps, rather than getting lost in excessive detail. A useful technique is to start with the headline: summarise the most important thing they need to know before delving into supporting details. This approach respects their time and helps ensure your message is clearly conveyed.

Consider the most effective medium for your communication as well. Sometimes, a face-to-face meeting or video call is preferable, especially when discussing complex or sensitive topics. In other cases, a well-crafted email may suffice, particularly for updates or reports. Tailor your communication method to the nature of the message and the preferences of the senior leader you’re addressing.

Moreover, don’t underestimate the power of listening. Managing up effectively involves understanding not only what you want to convey but also what is being communicated to you. Listen attentively during meetings, note any concerns raised, and remain alert to unspoken priorities. This attentiveness will help you tailor your approach and ensure you’re addressing what truly matters to your senior stakeholders.

Segment 4: Building Trust and Credibility
Building strong relationships with senior stakeholders fundamentally relies on trust. They need to feel confident that you are reliable, that you deliver on your promises, and that you have the organisation’s best interests at heart. Trust is not built overnight; it develops over time through consistent actions and a clear demonstration of your commitment.

One effective way to build trust is by adopting a proactive approach. Rather than waiting for senior leaders to approach you with problems, take the initiative to anticipate potential challenges and propose solutions. This forward-thinking mindset showcases your ability to think critically and demonstrates your willingness to take charge when necessary. Additionally, being transparent about any challenges or risks you’re facing is crucial. Senior leaders prefer to avoid surprises, and if you can be upfront about potential issues while presenting a plan for managing them, it reflects your sense of responsibility and professionalism.

Another important aspect of trust-building is showing that you value the input of senior stakeholders and are open to adjusting your approach based on their feedback. If a senior leader offers advice or expresses concern, take their input seriously. Following up to demonstrate that you’ve considered their perspective and, where appropriate, made adjustments to your plans illustrates respect and fosters a collaborative environment.

Segment 5: Highlighting Your Skills in Interviews
If you’re currently applying for new roles, managing up is an invaluable skill to highlight during the interview process. It underscores your ability to work effectively with senior leaders and demonstrates your understanding of the importance of aligning your work with broader organisational goals.

Prepare for interviews by being ready with examples of how you have successfully managed up in the past. Discuss specific instances where you played a role in solving a problem that was critical to senior leaders or where you aligned a project with the strategic direction of the organisation. Share how you communicated your ideas, built trust, and adapted to changing priorities in those situations.

Highlighting these experiences not only showcases your ability to manage up but also positions you as someone who can think strategically—a quality that is incredibly valuable in leadership roles. It illustrates your capacity to bridge the gap between different organisational levels and contribute meaningfully to driving forward the company’s vision.

Conclusion
That wraps up today’s episode on managing up and building strong relationships with senior stakeholders. I hope you’ve found these insights helpful, whether you’re currently in a leadership role or looking to move into one. Remember, managing up is all about understanding, communication, and trust—and it’s a skill that can make a big difference in your career.

Thank you for joining me on Your Path to Career Success! Until next time, keep building strong relationships with Senior Stakeholders. Together, let’s create a brighter future for our teams and organisations!  If you’re currently going through your own leadership transition or have specific questions, feel free to reach out—I’d love to hear from you! 

If this episode lit a fire within you, hit that subscribe button, share the love with a review, and spread the wisdom with your friends and coworkers. Alternatively follow me on LinkedIn Kathryn Hall “The Career Owl”.

Join me next week for more insights and tips on navigating your career journey. Until then, keep pursuing and building your path to leadership success!