Six Strategies for "Leading Upward"

Transcription

1 Six Strategies for "Leading Upward" We routinely hear questions like these from leaders we work with: How can I be better at giving my boss feedback? How can I get more of my boss's time? My boss won't develop me - how can I have that conversation? I don't know my boss's vision for me or the team - how can I get her to tell me? In all of these cases, the real question we hear is: How can I lead upward? Sometimes it's called "managing up." Yet it's not always "the boss" with whom we have trouble leading upward. It could be anyone in the organization who we perceive as having more authority or power than we do. It could even be people outside the organization - high-ranking customers or vendor contacts, for example. "Leading Upward" Defined In our work with leaders, we've found that leading upward isn't just a problem for front-line individual contributors. We hear about the challenges of leading upward from supervisors about their managers, managers about their directors, directors about their VPs, and VPs about their presidents and CEOs. It's a challenge that pervades our organizations. To be clear, by leading upward we do not mean sucking up, hiding things from your boss, manipulating your boss or trying to change your boss. "Nor is leading up a call for undermining authority or seizing power. It is about the effective exercise of power for the greater good."1 Leading upward, then is: Influencing your boss (or another person of power) to get a mutually beneficial result. It's about things like understanding your boss, communicating your wants and needs, and making requests of your boss for information, development, support - all in order to improve the functioning and performance of you and the team. The Problem of Power One of the greatest obstacles to leading upward, however, is that it means we will be striving to influence someone who has - or is perceived to have - more power than we do. It is note the power itself that creates the roadblock to leading upward but rather our own perceptions that

2 someone else has power over us.2 The power that another might hold over us is known as position power. As the name implies, position power comes by way of someone's position within the hierarchy of the organization. Position power includes three sub-types: (1) legitimate power based on one's status or formal job authority; (2) reward power based on one's ability to provide rewards to others; and (3) coercive power based on one's capacity to penalize or punish others.3 When it comes to leading upward, the good news is that there is another form of power within organizations that we can tap into for ourselves to give us the confidence we need to lead upward. This other form of power is called personal power, and it includes two sub-types:4 Referent power, the first type, comes from being seen by others as likeable, relatable. This is a form of personal power that every one of us can build upon for ourselves. Even with your boss or other people of power, the more they know you, have a relationship with you, and like you, the more willing they are to listen to you, help you and support you. As Robert Cialdini found in his research on influence-relationships: "People prefer to say yes to individuals they know and like."5 Expert power, the second type of personal power, comes from being seen as competent in some field, discipline or endeavor. Again, we all have access to this form of power because we all can build our expertise in our own areas of work and responsibility. When your boss or other people of power see you as highly competent, your power to influence increases. So, in terms of power; even if we don't have the same level of power as others in the organizational hierarchy, we always have our personal power. And if we tap into it and build upon it, our personal power of likeability and expertise can give us the confidence and clout we need to lead upward effectively. The Six Strategies The strategies below are designed to get you thinking about ways you can leverage your referent power and expert power to influence your boss or others more effectively. The strategies, taken together, offer a set of actions that prepare you for - and raise your likelihood of success during - the inevitable conversation that will be a part of your efforts to lead upward. Think about your boss or another person of power in your workplace as you reflect upon these six strategies. 1. Take a Walk In Their Shoes

3 Before you do anything pertaining to your own wants and needs, stop. Think about the conditions for the boss or that other person of power. What are the various pressures, needs, responsibilities and goals this person may be under? What obstacles may be preventing this person from giving you what you want? 2. Build the Relationship We tend to work best with people with whom we have solid relationships. We know one another; we respect one another; we like and trust one another. What are some things you could do to forge a better relationship with this person? How might you improve the way you interact and engage with this person? As Dana Rousmaniere put it, "Even if your boss has some serious shortcomings, it's in your best interest and it's your responsibility, to make the relationship work."6 3. Ask Yourself: "What's In It for Them?" You want something from this person. Yet, you will limit your ability to come to a mutually beneficial outcome if you're thinking only of yourself. If this person gives you what you want, what's the payoff, advantage or benefit to this person? What can you offer in exchange for getting what you want? 4. Be Good at What You Do In the workplace, we trust and respect people who are competent, consistent and reliable - people who deliver on promises, who maximize their technical abilities and expertise. What does this person need from you in terms of your work and responsibilities? In what ways might you need to shore up the way you deliver results? As Whitney Johnson said, "The first step to managing up is to scope out the job you were hired to do - and then execute it."7 5. Get Clear on Expectations At the root of every interpersonal conflict are unmet expectations. And usually, when we feel compelled to lead upward, it's because expectations are going unmet. What expectations might this person have for you? What expectations do you most need to get clear about between the two of you? 6. Plan for the Conversation Ultimately, leading upward requires a conversation. And, that conversation means you'll need to share feedback, state concerns or ask the person to do something differently. In what ways do you need to get better at giving constructive feedback? How will this particular person need to hear feedback in order to listen to you? Once you've laid the groundwork using these six strategies, employ our five-step conversation framework outlined below. Hundreds of leaders we have worked with through the years have reported how helpful this framework can be for making tough conversations easier and more effective. 1 Useem, M. Leading Up: How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win (New York,

4 NY: Three Rivers Press, 2001), p.2. 2 Lovaglia, M.J., et al. "Social Psychology: in Leadership in Science and Technology: A Reference Handbook, Vol 1, Bainbridge, W.S. ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications 2012). 3 Northouse, P.G. Leadership: Theory & Practice, (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2007). 4 Ibid 5 Cialdini, R.B. Influence: Science & Practice, 4th ed. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2001). 6 Rousmaniere, D. "What Everyone Should Know About Managing Up" (HBR Blog Network, Jan 23, 2015). 7 Johnson, W. "Managing Up without Sucking Up" (HBR Blog Network, Dec 15, 2014). Five-Step Process for a "Lead Upward" Conversation 1. Ask Permission to Address the Situation Shows respect for the person Sets the stage for having a conversation Mike, is it OK if I ask you about something? 2. Open by Stating Positive Intent Shows gratitude for the time to talk and introduces the topic Points to a mutual goal or benefit Thank you. I wanted to check in with you about Project X, so we can be sure to meet our deliverable for the next milestone. 3. Make a Statement of Fact Describes your factual observations of what the person did or did not do - no assumptions, judgment or criticism Begins with, "I noticed that..." I noticed that I haven't received your analysis of the vendor's recommendations. 4. Ask and Listen Turns the conversation over to the other person by way of a key, open-ended question What's happening?

5 Continue to ask questions to understand 5. Affirm and Gain Agreement Affirms that you've heard the person's perspective Focuses the conversation on finding solutions and reaching common ground I appreciate that you've been busy. And it sounds like you'll be able to get me the analysis by Thursday; is that correct? Impact Consulting Group LLC Living As A Leader 125 N. Executive Drive, #378 Brookfield, Wisconsin p