Overview:

Managing up isn’t about trying to impress leadership—it’s about making their lives easier while driving outcomes for the business.

It means proactively identifying problems, presenting solutions, and communicating in a way that aligns with your leader’s priorities.

If done well, you build trust, gain influence, and get the support you need to execute your work effectively.

1. Understand Your Leader’s Priorities and Communication Style

Every leader has their unique way of processing information and making decisions. The better you understand their priorities and preferences, the more effective your communication will be.

Examples of Leadership Styles and How to Adapt:

🔹 Data-Driven Executive → Prefers metrics, dashboards, and detailed reports.

🔹 Visionary Leader → Focuses on big-picture outcomes, future goals.

🔹 Operations-Oriented Leader → Cares about execution, timelines, and blockers.

✅ Example – Aligning with a Visionary Leader:

Instead of: "Our user engagement increased by 10%, and we fixed 5 bugs last sprint."

Try:

"We’ve made key improvements that bring us closer to our goal of being the go-to platform for freelancers. Engagement is up 10%, and we removed friction points in the signup process. Next, we’re tackling feature adoption to ensure long-term retention."

✅ Example – Aligning with an Operations-Oriented Leader:

Instead of: "We’re working on the integration with the marketing team."

Try:

"The integration with the marketing team is 70% complete. We’re on track for launch by March 15, with one risk around API latency that we’re actively mitigating. Would you like a detailed risk breakdown?"

🗣 Script to Ask for Alignment:

"I know Q2 is focused on improving retention by 20%. I’ve analyzed how our upcoming feature set contributes to this and identified two key levers that could move the needle faster. Could we take 15 minutes to align on the priority path forward?"

2. Be Proactive About Problem-Solving

Leaders don’t want to hear about problems—they want solutions. Instead of simply flagging an issue, present potential paths forward along with a recommendation.

Example – Handling Engineering Delays:

🚫 Bad Approach:

"Engineering is behind schedule, and we might miss the deadline."

✅ Better Approach:

• "Engineering is facing a delay due to unexpected scope changes. We have three options:

1️⃣ Reduce scope to maintain the timeline.

2️⃣ Extend the timeline by two weeks.

3️⃣ Allocate extra engineering resources.

Given our priorities, I recommend option (1), as it ensures we ship on time while preserving core functionality. Do you agree?"*

3. Keep Leaders Informed Without Overwhelming Them

Executives don’t need every detail—they need quick, structured updates that highlight progress, risks, and decisions needed.

Example – Structuring a Status Update:

Instead of writing a long email, use a structured format:

📌 BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) Format:

• BLUF: [High-level update in one sentence]
• ✅ Progress: [Key milestones completed]
• ⚠️ Risks: [Any risks or blockers]
• 📅 Next Steps: [What’s coming next]

✅ Example – Slack Update:

"BLUF: We’re on track for the Q2 launch, with minor risks being mitigated.✅ Key Milestone: User testing completed with 85% positive feedback.⚠️ Risk: API latency issues (team investigating solutions).📅 Next Steps: Final integration by Friday."

4. Frame Feedback and Requests in a Way That Resonates

When asking for resources, buy-in, or support, position your request in terms of business impact—not just your personal workload.

Example – Requesting More Resources:

🚫 Bad Approach:

"I’m overwhelmed and need another PM."

✅ Better Approach:

"To achieve our company goal of reducing churn, we need to accelerate feature development. An additional PM would allow us to ship these critical updates 3 months faster. Would you be open to discussing this in the next budget review?"

5. Demonstrate Empathy for Leadership Constraints

Your VP or CEO is juggling multiple priorities, budget limitations, and stakeholder expectations. Acknowledging their constraints makes you a partner instead of just someone making demands.

Example – Framing a Request with Empathy:

🚫 Bad Approach:

"We need more budget, or we’ll fall behind."

✅ Better Approach:

"I understand budget is tight this quarter, so I’ve identified a way to reallocate existing resources to fund this initiative without additional costs. Would you be open to reviewing this approach?"

🗣 Script for Balancing Empathy with Advocacy:

"I know that multiple teams are requesting support, and resources are limited. I’ve outlined the trade-offs for our project based on different investment levels. Would it be helpful to walk through these together so we can align on the best approach?"

6. Build Trust Through Consistency

Nothing builds trust faster than following through on commitments. Be the person who:

• Delivers updates when promised.
• Flags risks early but with solutions.
• Admits mistakes but owns the fix.

Example – Owning a Mistake Professionally:

🚫 Bad Approach:

"I missed the deadline because I was too busy."

✅ Better Approach:

"Last week, I underestimated the effort required for this project. That’s on me. I’ve adjusted the plan to get us back on track and put in place a buffer to prevent this from happening again."

🗣 Script for Admitting a Mistake While Maintaining Trust:

"I take full responsibility for the delay. Here’s what I’m doing to correct it, and here’s how I’m ensuring we don’t face this issue again in the future. Does this approach align with your expectations?"

7. Speak the Language of Leadership

Leaders care about impact, efficiency, and risk management. Make sure your communication reflects that.

Example – Presenting a Product Update:

🚫 Bad Approach:

"The new feature is launching next week."

✅ Better Approach:

"The new feature is launching next week and is expected to drive a 15% increase in conversions. Early tests show a positive impact, and we’ll closely monitor adoption to ensure success."

Final Thought: Managing Up is Leadership in Action

Managing up isn’t about making your boss’s life easier for the sake of it—it’s about aligning with company goals, driving impact, and increasing your own influence.

Key Takeaways:

🔹 Understand your leader’s priorities and style.

🔹 Present solutions, not just problems.

🔹 Keep communication concise and structured.

🔹 Frame requests in terms of business impact.

🔹 Show empathy for leadership constraints.

🔹 Build trust through consistency.

and that's all for today

Here are 3 ways I can help you – 

1. PM Coaching – I currently have a few slots open in March, you can book your time here
2. If you are an early career PM check out the Upskill PM fundamentals course that will equip you with strategies needed to perform at your best. Currently on SALE.
3. Subscribe to my newsletter at Nazukjain.com to elevate your leadership game and access to all the essays for free. I post weekly on Tuesdays.