Are you ready for a quiz that could markedly improve your management effectiveness? It consists of 20 questions about the person who supervises you. It could help you learn the secrets of “managing up.”
Before the quiz, some background on this important subject. Travel back with me in time.
I was a rookie manager, attending my first professional conference. For the life of me, I don’t recall the speaker’s name…but I’ll never forget his message. He said, “As a news director, it is your job to go face-to-face with your General Manager once a day.”
No way, I thought. I’m too busy in the newsroom to carve out chat time with my boss.
At that very moment, the speaker added: “And for those of you who think you have no time — just remember that you are short-changing your staff.”
He was right. All too often, we stay in the comfort zones of our shop floor. We mingle with our peers and the troops we lead. But we’re ill at ease approaching the boss, perhaps fearful of looking like a sycophant, or wary of getting more work loaded on us during the visit.
In a classic Harvard Business Review article that dates back to January 1980, John Gabarro and John Kotter wrote:
No doubt some subordinates will resent that on top of all their other duties, they also need to take the time and energy to manage their relationships with their bosses. Such managers fail to realize the importance of this activity and how it can simplify their jobs by eliminating potentially severe problems.
Trust me: they’re right. The most effective managers know that one of their best tools for success is a good relationship with the boss. They also know it is their responsibility to make it work.
It isn’t always easy. With a boss from hell, it can be nearly impossible. Fortunately, there are far more manageable bosses than hellions. And even so-so bosses can become more effective when their subordinates manage them well.
At Poynter, we think this topic so important that we devote time to it in our leadership seminars. Participants often chuckle when they hear the session title: “Managing Your Manager” — as if it is some kind of paradox. It isn’t. Further, “managing up” is not “sucking up.” It is simply about clear, consistent communication; something your boss expects of you.
Managing your boss means:
• Knowing her work habits and how they affect you.
• Communicating in ways he’s most likely to hear.
• Recognizing her values and looking for alignment.
• Representing your staff’s wins, concerns or needs effectively.
• Building trust that makes successes more enjoyable and failures less than fatal.
• Anticipating his needs, so you can plan your work/manage your time accordingly.
• Knowing how to disagree constructively; as the loyal opposition, not just the opposition.
• Ensuring “a place at the table” for your team, when many others in the organization are requesting resources.
• Helping one another through knowledge of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
And now, the quiz.
I developed “Twenty Questions about Your Boss” to test your depth of knowledge and understanding of the person who has direct influence on your success.
Answer as many questions as you can, and consider what it might mean to your effectiveness if you can’t fill in some of the blanks.
Here are the 20 questions:
Twenty Questions about Your Boss:
1. Preferred method of giving info to me:
2. Preferred method of getting info from me:
3. Biggest current pressure:
4. Stands for these values, first and foremost:
5. Biggest “hot button”:
6. Passion outside of work:
7. Has expertise in:
8. Lacks expertise in:
9. Vision for our organization:
10. Would be really hurt if someone:
11. Best boss my boss ever worked for:
12. Expects this from me when there’s a small problem:
13. Expects this from me then there’s a big problem:
14. Will not compromise when it comes to:
15. Considers a great day at work to be:
16. Handles pressure by:
17. Is respected by her/his bosses for:
18. Respects others for:
19. Has a blind spot about:
20. Thinks I’m great at:
How well did you do? How would you feel about asking your boss to fill out the same questionnaire and compare your answers? It could lead to some powerful bridge-building. And, one more question: how well could your employees fill in the blanks about YOU? Care to give them a copy of the “Twenty Questions”?
You can download this PDF version and print it out:
20 Questions
Let me know how you did on the “Twenty Questions,” and if you’ve put it to use in your newsroom. Send e-mail to Jgeisler@poynter.org.
