Leadership extends beyond traditional hierarchies. As professionals, we're often called upon to influence those above us, steering decisions and initiatives toward success.

 

It is an essential skill for Revenue Leaders, requiring a nuanced understanding of strategic alignment with superiors and the art of effective communication.

“If you forge ties with your boss based on mutual respect and understanding, both of you will be more effective”

Gabarro & Kotter

This practice, known as leading up or managing up, requires a strategic & tactical approach. It involves navigating the relationship with your superiors in a way that fosters mutual respect, understanding, and alignment of goals.

This means not only achieving targets but doing so in a way that aligns with the broader objectives of the organisation and the management style of your superiors.

By mastering the art of managing up, individuals can foster trust, build credibility, and ultimately, propel both their own careers and the success of the organisation forward.

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Managing Up in Practice

The Journal of Managerial Issues discusses how the boss-subordinate dynamic has changed due to shifts and disruption to the traditional workplace. 

The pandemic accelerated these changes as the workforce has become more dispersed due to remote teams. At the heart of everything is communication.

Influencing and managing up involves engaging in crucial conversations. These conversations often occur in situations where the outcome can significantly impact personal or professional lives. Crucial conversations can be about any topic, but they are typically characterised by their importance to the involved parties, the potential for conflict or disagreement, and the significant consequences that can result from the way the conversation is handled 

Let’s look at the 5 strategies that can be deployed to improve a Revenue Leaders ability to manage up:

1. Get outside of the box

The leadership book by the Arbinger Institute shares the concept of "being in the box".

It is a metaphor for the state of self-deception, where individuals view the world through a distorted lens, often seeing others as mere objects rather than as people with their own feelings, needs, and challenges.

It can lead to a cycle of blame, poor communication, and conflict, significantly hindering personal growth and effective leadership. 

Recognising "Being in the Box"

"Being in the box" signifies a state of self-deception, where one views others as objects, not as individuals with their own perspectives and needs.

This narrow viewpoint fosters misunderstandings and conflicts, as it obscures the true nature of situations and the value of others. Leaders in this state are prone to assigning blame and fostering an environment of distrust. 

Embracing the Shift "Out of the Box"

Moving "out of the box" means overcoming self-deception, leading to a fundamental change in perceiving and engaging with others. Recognising others as individuals with their own valid needs and challenges encourages empathy, effective communication, and stronger relationships.

For leaders, this shift is vital for building trust, facilitating open dialogue, and cultivating a positive culture that propels collective success.

Leadership's Role in Dispelling Self-Deception

Leaders are instrumental in dispelling self-deception by exemplifying accountability, empathy, and respect. Committing to an outward mindset not only enhances personal leadership but also cultivates a culture of collaboration and trust. Effective leaders inspire their teams to adopt similar attitudes, fostering improved teamwork, innovation, and organisational achievement. 

Overcoming self-deception is thus crucial for impactful leadership.

The importance of getting out of the box cannot be overstated, especially in leadership roles. When leaders operate outside the box, they acknowledge their own biases and limitations, recognise the humanity and value in others, and take responsibility for their actions and their impact on those around them. 

Here are a few practical applications for leading and managing up

Adopting an Outward Mindset

For Revenue Leaders, adopting an outward mindset is key. This means viewing each interaction with senior leaders not just as a transaction or report but as an opportunity to understand and align with broader organisational goals.

Before meetings, take a moment to consider the pressures and objectives your senior leaders face. This preparation shifts the focus from just defending your team's performance to exploring how your team can contribute to the company's overall success.

Focusing on Collective Results

In daily communications, emphasise how your team's efforts contribute to the company's larger goals. Discuss strategies and results in the context of the organisation's objectives, demonstrating an understanding of the bigger picture.

This approach fosters a sense of shared purpose and collaboration, making it easier to navigate challenges and align on solutions.

Practising Reflective Listening

In conversations with senior leaders, practise reflective listening. This involves actively listening to their concerns and feedback, and then reflecting back what you've heard to ensure understanding. 

This technique not only demonstrates respect and validation for their viewpoints but also opens up a space for more productive and solution-focused discussions, moving beyond the box of defensive communication.

2. Build Trust & Credibility

Demonstrate Reliability: 

Consistently delivering on your promises is key to building trust with senior leaders. Ensure that your actions align with your words, and proactively communicate any challenges or obstacles that may arise.

By demonstrating reliability and accountability, you establish yourself as a dependable and trustworthy partner in driving organisational success.

Seek Feedback and Act on It:

Actively solicit feedback from senior leaders on your performance, projects, and areas for improvement.

Take their input seriously and use it to refine your approach and enhance your effectiveness.

By demonstrating a willingness to learn and grow, you signal your commitment to personal and professional development, further strengthening trust and credibility.

Be Transparent and Honest: 

Transparency breeds trust.

Be upfront about challenges, setbacks, and uncertainties, and communicate openly about your decision-making process. Admit mistakes when they occur, and take responsibility for addressing them.

Honest and transparent communication fosters an environment of trust and mutual respect, laying the foundation for productive collaboration.

By focusing on building trust and credibility through reliability, effective communication, feedback, transparency, and exceeding expectations, individuals can establish strong relationships with senior leaders and position themselves as valuable contributors to the organisation's success.

3. Say What You’re Going to Do and Then Do It

Establishing Clear Objectives

Before engaging in managing up, it's crucial for leaders to define clear, actionable objectives that align with both their team's capabilities and the organisation's broader goals. This involves setting specific, measurable targets that address key performance indicators and strategic priorities. 

By articulating these objectives upfront, leaders can ensure that their efforts are directed towards impactful outcomes, making it easier to communicate value and progress to senior leaders.

Demonstrating Consistency and Reliability

Once objectives are set, the focus shifts to execution. Consistency in meeting or exceeding these targets is vital. 

This reliability builds trust with senior leadership, as it demonstrates not just the ability to set ambitious goals but also the competence to achieve them. Regular updates and transparent communication about progress, challenges, and strategies for overcoming obstacles are key to maintaining this trust and reinforcing your commitment to the set objectives.

Adapting and Responding to Feedback

In the process of executing set objectives, leaders should remain open to feedback from senior management and be prepared to adapt their strategies as needed.

This agility demonstrates a responsive and proactive leadership style, highlighting a willingness to collaborate and adjust in order to align with evolving organisational priorities and market conditions.

Effectively managing up involves not just doing what you set out to do, but also being flexible and responsive to feedback, ensuring that your actions continue to support the overarching goals of the organisation.

4. Set Realistic Expectations

Challenge Goals

Setting realistic expectations starts with defining achievable goals that are grounded in the current capabilities and resources of your team, as well as market realities.

Leaders should conduct a thorough analysis of their team's strengths, weaknesses, and past performance to inform goal-setting. This ensures that the objectives are challenging yet attainable, preventing over commitment and the potential for under delivery, which can erode trust with senior leadership.

Communicating Expectations Clearly

Clear communication of these realistic expectations to both your team and senior leaders is crucial.

This involves not only outlining what is expected but also the rationale behind these expectations, including any assumptions or constraints that have been taken into account.

By providing this context, leaders can align everyone's understanding and commitment to the set goals, fostering a sense of shared purpose and responsibility.

Managing Progress and Adjustments

Even with realistic expectations, unforeseen challenges can arise.

Leaders must monitor progress closely and be prepared to make adjustments to strategies or expectations as necessary.

This adaptability shows a pragmatic approach to leadership, emphasising problem-solving and flexibility.

Regularly updating senior leaders on progress, challenges, and any adjustments to expectations helps manage perceptions and maintain confidence in your leadership and your team's ability to deliver on commitments.

5. Consciously communicate

Cultivating Awareness of Intentions

Conscious communication begins with a deep awareness of one's intentions and motivations when engaging in dialogue, especially in high-stakes situations. The intent behind our words can significantly impact their reception and the outcome of the conversation.

Leaders should take the time to reflect on what they hope to achieve with their communication, ensuring that their approach is rooted in building trust and fostering open dialogue, rather than in winning an argument or asserting dominance.

Recognising Physiological Signals

Awareness of the physiological signals associated with the fight or flight response is crucial in managing up effectively.

These responses—such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, or tension—can be triggered during intense or unfamiliar conversations, potentially leading to reactive rather than strategic communication. 

Leaders should develop the ability to recognise these signals in themselves as early warnings, allowing for proactive management of their physiological and emotional state to maintain clarity and composure in communication.

Managing Emotional Responses

Once physiological signals are recognised, the next step is to manage these responses to ensure they don't undermine the communication's effectiveness. Techniques such as deep breathing, pausing before responding, and actively calming oneself can help mitigate the impact of stress responses.

By maintaining control over one's emotional state, leaders can engage in conscious communication that reflects their true intentions, builds trust, and facilitates constructive outcomes, even in challenging conversations. This approach not only enhances the quality of the interaction but also models emotional intelligence and resilience for the team.

By embracing these principles and thinking outside the box, individuals can manage up with confidence and effectiveness, ultimately driving success for themselves and their organisations.

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