Been having an interesting debate about "managing up" with some friends this morning and interesting patterns cropped up
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1) Managing up with a bad manager feels like you're doing their job. You aren't, but it feels like you are.
This is when folks are most frustrated and complain. It sucks for everyone involved.
Manager thinks you're unmanageable. You think manager just gets in the way.
This is when folks are most frustrated and complain. It sucks for everyone involved.
Manager thinks you're unmanageable. You think manager just gets in the way.
2) Managing up with a great manager feels like Just Communication.
They set direction and talk company priorities.
You decide how to achieve those priorities, communicate blockers and hiccups, proactively say what's up, and keep the manager informed.
They set direction and talk company priorities.
You decide how to achieve those priorities, communicate blockers and hiccups, proactively say what's up, and keep the manager informed.
If your manager has to ask "How are we doing on X?", that means you've failed.
YOU should tell your manager *before* they feel like they need to ask.
YOU should tell your manager *before* they feel like they need to ask.
90% of agile/scrum is just codifying these rules of good communication because we forget to act like adults.
Be professional. Tell them before they ask.
Be professional. Tell them before they ask.
PS: every engineer should experience managing a team. It makes you a waaaaaay better engineer and employee.
Shows you what your manager wishes you were doing.
Shows you what your manager wishes you were doing.
