You may have a boss. It might be the first line manager, director, vice president, CEO, or a board of directors.

The common logic is that the manager manages the team. The employee also needs to manage her/his manager.

The manager may have a position power over you. That doesn’t mean you just follow orders.

Sucking up

Managing higher up has a certain negative connotation.

Sucking up really means that you are the “yes man”. You are doing everything in your power to please the boss, to appear in the best light, and earn some plus points. Your hope is that by being favorite “pet” you will gain some privileges not available to others who don’t suck up.

It comes to then, that Managing higher up is about setting boundaries and rules on how you and your manager work together, an ability to talk to your boss as an equal…