When it comes to career progression and growth for managers, there is a lot of advice on growing your team and developing leaders. However, focusing on making your manager successful plays a big role in your growth too.
✅ Know your manager’s priorities
🎯 If you don’t know what your manager does all day, ask them what their priorities are so that you can gain a broader context
🧠 If you know what’s top of mind for them you can even proactively suggest solutions to problems they care about
🗂 If you know you can tackle something that’s on their plate, offer help. You don’t have to wait for them to assign it to you
📝 Proactively share updates
🗓 Regularly share concise updates from your area and the challenges you are tackling
😎 It’ll help them talk about your team in larger forums more intelligently
ℹ️ If you know they are attending an important meeting, proactively ask if they need any specific updates from your area
🤨 Don’t blindside your manager
😳 If you are attending a broader meeting with your manager, don’t surprise them in front of their cross-functional partners, peers, or their boss.
👍 If you plan to share new information give them a heads up
🤝 Incorporating their feedback beforehand will help you anyways
🤹♂️ There is a lot on their plate
🏃Always assume they are way busier than you are
👥 They show up 5-10 min late for a 1-1 there is a reason for it
⏩ They didn’t respond to your quick question on Slack, there is a reason for it
🌈 Simplify things for them
👉 If you are not getting clear direction on topics you are discussing with them, check if you are sharing too much unstructured information.
🧮 Synthesize it, and share a summary. Simplify the situation for them. Framing the problem in a right way is very important
📈 Understand what type of data representation works for your manager – spreadsheets? 1 pager pre-read? Figjam?
When you keep your manager’s success top of mind instead of yours, you’ll automatically start thinking broader than your role. This helps you prep for the next level. Your manager will become your partner and they’ll start advocating for you.
