There are very few of us who are at the top of an organization. We all find ourselves in various positions of authority. There are people below us. Then, there are people above us.
There’s a desire to continue our upward advancement. We want to show the leaders above us that we have what it takes to sit alongside them.
We want to be able to lead up.
The question becomes: how do we lead those who are leading us? It’s the struggle we all have throughout our careers.
I want to let you know there’s good news. We can lead up and not just down. We can impact our leaders as we impact those we lead.
What does that take?
4 Ways To Lead Up
1. Provide educational resources to those you report to:
People don’t have the time to consume everything thrown at them. However, you can be a provider of resources to your leader.
Find resources that are helpful and relevant to those you report to. A resource could be an article on the latest trends in IT, a financial resource helping them better understand tax implications, or a leadership article such as this one.
As you begin to become a resource yourself, your leaders will see you as someone who knows where to go to continue growing. Be share to share relevant resources they can apply to their lives.
2. Develop a relationship with your leader:
Think about the people on your team for a minute… Who comes to mind? There are probably two groups:
- People who are constantly causing issues for you
- People who have taken an interest in growing a relationship with you
Find ways to develop a relationship with those leading you. This could be talking about the latest Detroit Tigers ballgame, sharing Kamado Joe recipes, or discussing the latest activities their children are participating in.
The more connected your leader feels to you, the more influence you can have with them.
3. Find ways to help your leader:
You’ve already provided great resources to your leader; that’s great. But let’s take this a step further. You need to find ways to help your leader.
What does this look like?
You’ve been paying attention to their needs. You see they are struggling to keep up with their workload. You know someone fantastic with time management. You make an introduction between your boss and the time management friend.
Or maybe you see your leader struggling to come up with culture-building activities. You’ve thought about what would help bring people together. Be willing to share your thoughts with them. Go further and offer to help lead a culture-building campaign.
As you take on more responsibilities and relieve pressure on your leader, they will see your abilities shine. Be a person who helps your leader.
4. Offer your disagreements agreeably:
You and your boss will not see eye-to-eye on everything. It’s just like you and your team. There are going to be disagreements.
Think about how you want to be treated by those reporting to you… You want them to be respectful, offer insights, and share the truth in a way you can easily digest and accept.
You must express your disagreements in the same way. Be willing to disagree, but not in an offensive manner.
Find ways to share your critiques, criticisms, and frustrations in an agreeable way.
Lead Up
The more you do the above, the more influence and impact you will have on those above you. Keep practicing, keep working, keep leading up.
