Managing up…

Sarah was a talented media sales representative at a major broadcast company. She consistently exceeded her targets and had a knack for building strong relationships with clients. However, her boss was often preoccupied with administrative tasks and struggled to support her to close bigger deals. This was frustrating to Sarah and limited her growth and performance. In our Leadership MasterClass (click to join), starting on April 10, we work with managers and leaders to determine when to coach, train and when to hold accountable.

Since not every manager has gone through our engaging program (yet), I thought it would be helpful to share with sellers how they can best manage up and get what you need from your boss. The first step is to understand what's important to your boss. This is done with a series of unique questions you can ask during your next one-on-one meeting or anytime you feel comfortable doing so. It's like an internal Customer Needs Analysis with your boss. A recent article in Harvard Business Review suggests:

"To succeed in your role, you need to understand what truly matters to your manager. However, many leaders struggle to communicate their priorities clearly. Instead of waiting for direction, you can ask them smart questions to not only decode what they need but also to position yourself as a strategic partner."

The article goes on to provide seven suggested questions to ask your boss to understand her goals and priorities. We don't recommend you pepper them with these questions all at once, but throughout the natural conversations or one-on-ones, you might consider having these questions in your back pocket to help: What goals do you discuss with your boss? This reveals what drives their performance reviews and decision-making. Listen for key metrics, repeated themes and unexpected priorities—you may discover areas where your work has a more significant impact than you realized.

What keeps you up at night about our team or projects? Unlike asking about general challenges, this invites vulnerability and honest insight. It helps you anticipate risks, proactively solve problems and position yourself as someone who alleviates stress—rather than adding to it.

What actions or changes would make the most significant difference in 90 days? The timeframe forces focus. If their answer is vague, follow up: "What's one specific change we could make to achieve that?" If they're unsure, offer options to guide their thinking.

What do you wish you had more time to work on? This uncovers the work that's important to your manager that keeps getting pushed aside by more urgent tasks. Look for opportunities to take on these high-value tasks to lighten their load while developing skills that benefit your career.

What does good performance look like? Great performance? Let them define the baseline first, then dig deeper to determine what they value most in an employee. What emerging trends should we be mindful of? Your boss hears conversations and sees data you don't. Understanding upcoming shifts in company strategy or industry trends positions you well to anticipate change and adapt.

How does [a particular task] compare to my other responsibilities? This question can kick off a conversation to clarify why specific priorities rise to the top while others get put on the back burner. Should you need to set boundaries, this has the added benefit of making your boss aware of your bandwidth—without sounding like you're complaining.

For me, the key takeaways for us are:

Do your homework: Research thoroughly to back up your proposals with solid data and industry insights.

Think strategically: Show how your ideas align with broader company goals and market trends.

Propose solutions: Don't just present problems; come prepared with well-thought-out solutions.

In my experience as a busy manager with competing priorities, having team members approach you with solutions to a problem is far more appealing than the typical "got-a-minute meeting" where they ask you to solve a problem. By managing up effectively, media sales representatives can achieve their targets and drive innovation and growth within their organizations.

Think Big! Make Big Things Happen!

Jeff Schmidt is the SVP of Professional Development. You can reach him at Jeff.Schmidt@rab.com. You can all so connect with him on X and LinkedIn.