Managing upwards and downwards is essential to get results in this world of work today. Managing up is the ability to communicate and align effectively with your higher-ups, while managing down is coaching and inspiring your reports. When you become proficient in both, you can achieve greater productivity, more effective collaboration, and ultimately better results for your organisation.

Managing up

How does one work effectively with your up-line? You need to understand your boss’s goals, priorities, and communication style to manage up effectively. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Take initiative: Proactively anticipate needs and provide a solution before there is a need. This step shows initiative and foresight. For example, if you see something wrong on a project, say so before it gets worse and offer a solution for how to fix it.

• Communicate effectively: Copy your manager on project updates, issues, and wins. Updates create trust and transparency. Use devices such as dashboards or succinct reports to summarise the important points to help your manager understand the situation quickly.

• Align goals: Sync up your goals with those of your manager. This alignment demonstrates that you are on the same page, but also helps you prioritise tasks effectively. Take the time to learn your manager’s strategic goals, then contribute directly to those.

• Ask for feedback: Regularly ask how you are doing and where you could improve. This shows you value your manager’s insight and are open to growth. Develop a feedback mechanism, such as regular touch points to maintain an active conversation.

• Be understanding: Try to understand the pressures and challenges your manager is dealing with. This gives your insight into how best to communicate with and support him/her through this process as you can put yourself in their shoes.

Managing down

Enabling your team, by managing down, is equally important as supporting your boss. Here’s how to inspire and excite your team:

• Set clear expectations: Be explicit about roles, responsibilities, and performance metrics. This clarity gives other team members a clear understanding of what is expected of them. If necessary, you might write up these expectations as a document you both share and read as needed.

• Encourage a culture of open communication: Ensure that team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns. An open-door policy fosters a sense of trust and collaboration. Regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins are great to help facilitate these open conversations.

• Offer up support and resources: Make sure that you are providing your team with the tools and resources to succeed. This support enables them to own their work. Consume regular needs assessments and request them if needed.

• Celebrate success: Celebrate successes, big or small, both individually and as a team. Praise and support also provide a trigger for motivation. A “shout-out” system in team meetings, or even a rewards programme for exceptional contributions, might be implemented.

• Promote continuous learning: Support your employees by providing them access to training and mentorship sessions, which would help them to develop essential skills that can enhance the productivity of your workforce. Supporting employees’ professional development will make them actively interested and committed to their jobs.

The road to success, managing both up and down, is a constant balancing act and needs empathy, communication, and strategic thinking. You become a results-oriented leader if you have a good rapport with your bosses, while mentoring your team. This approach not only makes you more effective in your role; it fosters a culture that helps your whole team feel engaged.

Call to action

Get started to get management right today. Evaluate your existing relationships with your bosses and your team. Recognise one goal for each direction and execute a plan to improve this week. Even something as simple as making time to have a session with your manager for feedback, or having a team-building activity, would make for a great way to start small and end up with meaningful results. Hold yourself accountable by sharing your progress with a colleague or mentor. As a team, let’s build a culture of success that helps all the players.

Dr Jacqueline Coke Lloyd is a transformational leader and managing director of MYM Group Limited. She is a people, organisational, and middle manager development professional. She is also the founder of Young Entrepreneurs Association, national productivity ambassador, speaker, author, and adjunct professor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or jackiecokelloyd@gmail.com.