Managing Up

How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge

De: Melody Wilding

Narrado por: Melody Wilding

An indispensable guide to navigating power dynamics, building effective relationships with higher-ups, and earning more authority, freedom, and confidence at work—from one of today’s “most innovative career coaches” (Insider).

“Outstanding. Wilding's scripts and strategies show us a better way to get ahead at work.”—Greg McKeown, New York Times bestselling author of Essentialism and Effortless

WINNER: Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW) Best in Business Book Award, Career and Financial Development

Do you feel vulnerable to the whims of your boss, peers, or internal politics, pushing through each day with a nagging undercurrent of anxiety? Maybe you’re micromanaged, interrupted in meetings, saddled with busy work, or overlooked for career opportunities. But what if you could subtly teach those above you to value your ideas and treat you with respect—without ever changing your job title?

Human behavior professor and award-winning executive career coach Melody Wilding has helped thousands of clients advocate for their needs at work while navigating the minefield of office politics. In this clear, tactical guide, Wilding shows you how to operate from a position of power—even if you lack formal authority—to build the emotional intelligence, relational capital, and negotiation savvy to succeed in a world of competing stakeholders and remote work.

Drawing on real-life client stories and the latest research on trust and persuasion, Managing Up distills a vital skillset into ten key conversations, including:

• The Alignment Conversation: How can I get in my boss’s head to understand their needs, motivations, and goals?
• The Styles Conversation: Will I earn more respect from my manager if I get to the point quickly, or should I try swapping stories and building rapport?
• The Boundaries Conversation: How do I say no and push back with tact when my manager saddles me with yet another task?

Packed with time-tested strategies, detailed scripts, and transformative insights, this book is a must-read for professionals of all levels ready to reclaim control of their careers.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF with diagrams and graphics.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“This book helps you decode your boss’s behavior and unlock the career success you deserve.”—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive, To Sell Is Human, and The Power of Regret

“A book chock-full of practical advice.”—Katie Couric Media

“Wilding has accomplished something rare and invaluable, combining bigger-picture insight with concrete, practical advice to experiment with.”—Sheila Heen, coauthor of Difficult Conversations and faculty at Harvard Law School

“In this sophisticated yet accessible guide, Wilding transforms what most of us learn through painful trial and error into a clear, research-backed blueprint for taking control of our professional future. She masterfully explains how to thoughtfully navigate those difficult conversations that often define our career trajectory, and turn what can be an anxiety-ridden, transactional relationship with our boss into a true partnership.”—Amy Gallo, cohost of HBR’s Women at Work podcast and author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)

“Finally, a science-based book that reveals how to influence others regardless of where you sit on the org chart. A resource you’ll return to again and again!”—Tasha Eurich, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Insight

“If you struggle to figure out where you stand in the workplace, you need this book . . . to take back your power and advocate for yourself with confidence.”—Liz Fosslien, coauthor of Wall Street Journal bestseller No Hard Feelings and Big Feelings

“A refreshingly modern, easy-to-follow instruction manual for navigating workplace dynamics with integrity and emotional intelligence.”—Dorie Clark, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game and executive education faculty at Columbia Business School

“Outstanding. Wilding’s scripts and strategies show us a better way to get ahead at work.”—Greg McKeown, New York Times bestselling author of Essentialism and Effortless

“Expertly managing up is an essential skill that everyone needs to learn. Whether you are at the start of your career or have just stepped into a leadership position, Wilding is the perfect mentor for teaching you how to leverage your manager.”—Vanessa Van Edwards, founder of Science of People and bestselling author

“Managing Up is not just a book about navigating relationships in the workplace, though it certainly is that—it’s a call to arms to reclaim autonomy in your career. Whether you’re just joining the workforce or a seasoned manager, there’s something in this practical, empowering, and deeply-human book for you.”—Simone Stolzoff, author of The Good Enough Job

Practical, Engaging, and Worth Multiple Listens

Melody goes through the ten different conversations for managing up using practical tips and stories to convey how to get through each conversation with ease. Her content and her performance kept me engaged. Definitely a book I plan to go over multiple times!

Good tool to the right person at the right time

My friend recommended this book after hearing about my struggle to navigate a relationship with a person I report to. I definitely picked up a few interesting ideas, such as "me guide," which I plan to use in my career; however, most of the content was fairly obvious. Reading this book as a manager in an organization also produced some food for thought. In my view, in well-managed organizations, excellent performance is rewarded and recognized (at least in organizations I want to build and be part of). Each team has a few consistent top performers who consistently deliver high-quality results ahead of schedule. These individuals are efficient and innovative in most of what they do. On the other hand, if someone is doing the job they were hired for, then they are simply doing their job. Such individuals deserve recognition, acknowledgment, and fair pay for their contributions, but promotions and additional rewards are usually given to those who naturally outgrow their current roles and responsibilities. This book offers people a shortcut on how to get what they think they deserve; it does not teach how to achieve excellence at what you do.
Finally, in the age of more complex search services like ChatGPT, books like this are obsolete. You will make significant progress in your career by investing time in learning how to master writing prompts for ChatGPT and having answers printed to you on demand on topics such as Managing Up and any other subject you can think of.