Managing Up with Purpose: Building Influence Through Active Listening and Strategic Insight

We are leading training for a 6-month rising manager accelerator at a major retailer. This month, we are focused on internal influence, and one of the foundational skills to develop influence with managers or more broadly within an organization is active listening. This theme made me think of the phrase "managing up" and how this goes beyond just getting along with your boss. 

Managing up and influencing internally requires a blend of proactivity and adaptability. It starts with genuinely understanding your manager's needs, their definition of success, and even their preferred communication style—often before they explicitly state them. This can feel like a need to be a mind-reader, but the answers become more apparent with active listening, clarifying questions and keen observation.

Managing up also involves anticipating the questions leadership will ask. It means doing your foundational homework so that when you propose an idea or a project, you've already considered key factors like stakeholder bandwidth or initial cost estimates. This level of preparation doesn't just build trust; it positions you as a strategic thinker. It’s a skill that shows you're not just executing tasks, but also understanding the broader organizational context.

Ultimately, managing up is also about managing perceptions—not in an inauthentic way, but by ensuring your contributions and the quality of your work are visible. It’s a continuous effort in building rapport, understanding deeply, and strategically aligning your efforts with leadership priorities.

What strategies have you found most effective for "managing up" in your career?