Are you managing up or managing down? What's the difference? 📈📉

Imagine this: You’re managing a new team with a long list of goals to meet. You need to make sure your team feels supported and stays on track.

At the same time, you’re responsible for keeping the higher-ups updated on the team's productivity, problems, and solutions.

What should you do?

Knowing the difference between managing up and managing downwill help you figure out your next few moves!

Learn the art of managing up and managing to build habits that will bring you success in your role.

Managing down is all about being a supportive, effective leader for the people who report to you. This helps them perform at their best and fosters an environment where they can thrive.

How can I manage down?

1. Set clear expectations: Communicate exactly what is expected of someone or what the outcome should be.

2. Provide support and resources: Offer help, encouragement, or guidance to your team.

3. Manage performance: Ensure your team is meeting expectations, achieving goals, and contributing results.

Example

Daisy manages a barbershop where she has a small staff. She sits in a chair, schedules the employees, and assigns each walk-in customer to a barber.

Every day, she asks who is responsible for the tasks on the checklist, even though it's already documented on the sheet.

She asks how long it will take and whether each person can give her a time by which tasks will be completed.

Although Daisy likes to micro-manage, she is straightforward, which is a key component of managing down.

Managing up is when employees take initiative and get things done. Someone who manages up understands team goals and comes to meetings with solutions to help their manager solve problems.

How can I manage up?

1. Understand your manager’s needs and priorities: Simplify your job, eliminate potentially severe problems, and improve productivity.

2. Provide solutions, not just problems: Meet your manager with solutions and ask relevant questions.

3. Know your manager's habits: This will help you align with their decision-making habits and build trust.

Example

Sam is a manager at a gym. Each week, he proactively communicates with his boss to provide updates on the team's progress and any escalated issues.

He asks his boss to start the meetings and share the gym’s weekly goals. Sam is often nervous when sharing his solutions to problems. He doesn't want to appear as a know-it-all.

He wants to help his boss make more informed decisions and support organizational objectives. Sam's goal is to strengthen their working relationship and align his team's work with the needs of his manager and the business.

Understanding how to manage up and down will help you communicate better, work well with others, and become a leader who gets results.