Have you heard the term “managing up”? It means that even though bosses manage us, sometimes we need to manage the boss. There are so many inspiring examples of positive change occurring when subordinates respectfully disagree with the boss. I have a favourite example to demonstrate:
In the early 1990’s I was doing teamwork training with a thriving international manufacturing company. I was instructing a class that focused on communication and leadership skills. The company had sent all their managers and supervisors through the training – all except the company owner, Ben. One day after class, one of the class participants took me aside and asked, “Why hasn’t our boss (Ben) taken the training?” I replied that I had asked Ben many times to enroll, and he would just smile and change the subject. Steve then said, “Well I think he should take the class. He could benefit from it.” Of course, I agreed. Steve said he was going to talk to Ben about it.
Several days later, I received a call from Ben, the owner. He said, “I am calling from my office and Steve has me in a headlock and says he won’t let go until I sign up for your course. I am calling to sign up.”
Ben did take the course and thought it was great. The people who surrounded him also said he was easier to work for. Thanks to Steve’s courage and caring for the company, he helped create a stronger team.
I had been instructing the course for three years, and in that time frame many had asked why Ben did not take the course. Steve asked, and he acted. In his conversation with Ben, he was respectful and approached Ben with tact. Steve knew how to “manage up”. Do you?
