Stephen H Baum Leadership

THE IMPRESSION YOU MAKE

You make an impression on your boss every time you show up. What will she say about you afterward? What do you want her/him to say?

USEFUL REFERENCES

One of my C-suite clients asked me if there were a book to read on managing upward for direct reports of the CEO. If you know of a really good one, please let me know. There are two videos on Youtube that should stimulate your thinking. One is by Wilymanager:

MANAGING UPWARD BY WILY MANAGER

The other is by leadership professor Todd Dewett:

Dewett on Managing Upward

THOUGHTS FROM A LEADERSHIP COACH

But the question set me to thinking. What would be the table of contents for such a book or pamphlet? Here is what I asked my client (only a starter set for discussion):

1. Do you “get” what the CEO’s top goals are? Are your communications in this context?
2. Do you know your potential contribution to these goals in your job?
3. Do you see other contributions you can make beyond your job?
4. When you start a conversation with the boss, what do you say in the first 2 minutes? Are the topic and the desired outcome of the exchange clear?  What solution do you lean toward?
5. When you submit a written document to you boss, what is your approach? Is it “boss ready:” a less than one page bullet-style summary up front? Either news headlines or an index to topics?
6. How well do you know the Executive Assistant to the boss? What have you done to earn good rapport?
7. How does the boss learn on a difficult or sensitive subject: Seeing? Reading? Hearing?
8. To whom does the boss listen with a lower filter than others?
9. What is your parting comment to the boss (thank you? Something that punctuates the meeting and sets up an expectation for next time?)

That’s just my view. What’s yours? 

A REQUEST

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