Managing up

Too many executives have "shiny object syndrome."

A TV producer struggles to balance the demands of three hit shows—and dreams of a new one.

Having a passive manager doesn’t have to be a frustrating experience.

Be diplomatic, find common ground, and ask if they're open to alternative ideas.

Take the lead.

At least half of all employees have quit a job at some point because of their supervisor. People complain of bosses who bully them, micromanage, steal...

While it can have some advantages, it also comes with a lot of downsides.

New research suggests your boss may see it as a sign of competence.

Would you like a better boss? A boss who helps you obtain valuable information, win needed resources, and secure important support for your group and for you personally — in short, a boss who’s a real ally and partner? If your boss provides these benefits, you’re lucky. We hear far more complaints than praise from […]

First, consider that it might be right.

I am always reminding my clients of the importance of keeping their boss happy. I tell them to develop positive, supportive relationships with their bosses, keep them well informed, anticipate their needs, and focus on the good points. But this advice didn’t work for a recent client, whom I’ll call Claudia. A senior manager in […]

You'll learn something new from every manager you have.

What Boeing’s doing right.

Three strategies.

We all know bad managers - be they ambitious and aggressive, doing whatever it takes to move up the corporate ladder, or the opposite: managers thrust...

For organizations to prosper, managers in the middle ranks must feel empowered to identify and promote the need for change. People at this level gather...

Three tactics for turning things around.

Accept that things will change.

Bosses who push their people hard often provide what is to them a good excuse: no one works harder than they do. That’s what Anthony Weiner, congressman from New York City and a future candidate for mayor, told the New York Times. Because the boss works 24/7, everyone else must do the same. Well, not […]