managing up - have you got your manager to work for you? (from l8 swe at microsoft)

src: managing up - have you got your manager to work for you? (from l8 swe at microsoft) - 2022-09-03

🤖 Abstract

“Managing up” means helping your manager help you. Your manager’s job is to maximize the team’s success, and they need your resources to do that well.

1. Build trust first. Do what you say you’ll do. Complete tasks on time. Help your manager with something small. These tiny positive interactions compound. Without trust, honest feedback and expectation-setting fall flat.
2. Learn your manager’s goals. Read the team’s OKRs and commitments, then ask why they’re set that way. The question “what keeps you up at night?” reveals current priorities more honestly than any document. With that context, you can spot where your work creates leverage.
3. Tell your manager what matters to you. Rank impact, learning, promotion, and work-life balance. Your priorities shift over time, so revisit them regularly. If your manager doesn’t know what you care about, they can’t help you get there.
4. Escalate efficiently. Don’t bottle up blockers. Technical problems go to peers or tech leads first; people problems go to your manager. When you escalate, lead with context, state the impact, and ask a specific question. Never dump a problem and walk away.
5. Ask for feedback regularly. Request both positive and constructive input. If your manager stalls, try this: “On a scale of 1 to 5, how am I doing?” Follow up with “What would make it a 5?” This forces a concrete answer instead of a vague “you’re doing great.”
6. Thank them specifically. Don’t just say thanks. Name the action and the outcome. “Thank you for writing that growth plan—it gave me clarity on what to focus on.” Specific appreciation creates a positive loop.