Discreet Boss Management Tactics

By Megan-Dalla Camina

The relationship you have with your boss is vital to your ability to feel engaged and succeed at work. 
In fact, according to a recent Women Rising report, 84 per cent of women say that a supportive relationship with their manager is the number one thing they need to thrive in their job.
But what if you and your boss don’t see eye to eye? Or worse, they don’t see you at all? 
Cultivating a positive relationship with your manager by learning to manage up effectively is a powerful way to have more agency in your career. When done well, managing up allows you to be clearer on your priorities and expectations and keeps the line of communication between you and your manager open so you can achieve your personal goals.
Luckily, reframing your relationship with your boss is easier than you think.
Here’s how to discreetly manage your boss, to get what you really want at work:

Tip #1: Understand your bosses’ goals

Managing up is essentially about working for the mutual benefit of yourself and your manager or boss, and making their life (and in turn, your life) easier. Look at the relationships that you need to manage. What do your colleagues need from you, including your manager? What are their agendas? How are you meeting those needs through your work?
If you aren’t clear on the goals that your manager or boss must meet and what their objectives are, then don’t wait for them to take the lead. Set up a meeting so you have a  crystal clear understanding of how their priorities align with yours.

Tip #2:  Understand your bosses’ preferred communication style

When it comes to creating a positive relationship with your manager, it’s important to understand how they best operate. Do they prefer to communicate via email, text, a messaging app or in person? Do they make decisions based on data or do they rely on their intuition? How often do they want updates? What frustrates them at work?
The more you understand your boss or manager’s preferences and adapt the way you communicate with them to suit their style, the more likely you’ll have a positive response from them.

Tip #3: Be proactive

Nobody likes to be caught off-guard by unwanted surprises, so it helps to develop the skill of anticipating problems and considering potential solutions. This shows great initiative and will make you an invaluable asset to your manager and your team.
If you know that bad news is coming, like a deadline won’t be met or a key stakeholder for them is raising issues, make sure you alert your boss manager as soon as possible so they’re not blindsided. As always, communication is key. 

Tip #4: Own your mistakes

Equally as important as anticipating problems, is the willingness to own your mistakes when things don’t go to plan. The worst thing you can do is try to avoid it or cover it up. A better approach is to be humble, admit what went wrong and offer a solution for how you can correct the mistake in the future. 
If you’re taking accountability and coming with a solutions-focused mindset, your manager will respect you for it. Get out in front of it as quickly as possible.

Tip #5: Give consistent updates

Keep your manager in the loop by giving them regular updates. A practical tool is to send a weekly email to your manager or boss, say on a Friday afternoon, that clarifies what you’ve been working on that week, the wins you’ve had, your priorities for the next week, and any challenges you’re having in regard to resources or deadlines.
This will help to ensure your manager or boss always knows where you are at. It also helps to open a conversation around competing priorities, seek support or guidance and set boundaries if required.  
This strategy alone is a complete game-changer that can transform the relationship you have with your boss from transactional and task oriented to trusted team member. 

About the author: With two decades of corporate leadership with IBM, GE, and PwC, and a unique blend of academic rigour and wisdom teachings, Megan’s personal journey navigating male-dominated arenas, battling burnout, and seeking authenticity sparked the creation of Women Rising. This year alone Megan has been recognised as B&T’s ‘Woman of the Year’ and ‘Mentor of the Year’. 
Additionally, Megan was a founding implementation leader with the Human Rights Commissioner in the Male Champions of Change, holds two Masters degrees (Business Management from Macquarie Business School and Wellness & Positive Psychology from RMIT) and is a best-selling author.  This is an opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of this publication.