2 — Managing Up as a Practice

soul dembow, tokyo afro-funk, blues afro house, hypnagogic shoegaze

Listen on 93

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Your manager's got pressures you can't see
Fighting battles up above the tree
They need to know you're solid, they can trust
Information flow is really what's a must
Not about the flattery or playing games
It's keeping them informed so they can take the blame

[Chorus]
Managing up, it's a practice not a trick
Weekly updates, make it quick
Bi-weekly check-ins, keep it tight
Monthly insights, share your sight
Quarterly talks about the trust
Managing up is really just
Building bridges, information flow
Help your manager help you grow

[Verse 2]
Understand what they're optimizing for
What keeps them up at night behind closed doors
The signals that they use to track progress
Are you helping them or causing them more stress
Paper trails matter more than you might think
Document decisions, that's the missing link

[Chorus]
Managing up, it's a practice not a trick
Weekly updates, make it quick
Bi-weekly check-ins, keep it tight
Monthly insights, share your sight
Quarterly talks about the trust
Managing up is really just
Building bridges, information flow
Help your manager help you grow

[Bridge]
Weekly brief on what you've done and why
Not asking permission, just reply
Fifteen minutes every other week
Check the operating system we seek
Monthly share what you can see ahead
Show you're thinking at their level instead
Quarterly trust and autonomy scope
These rhythms give your career hope

[Chorus]
Managing up, it's a practice not a trick
Weekly updates, make it quick
Bi-weekly check-ins, keep it tight
Monthly insights, share your sight
Quarterly talks about the trust
Managing up is really just
Building bridges, information flow
Help your manager help you grow

[Outro]
It's not politics, it's being smart
Information flow is where you start
Help them trust and help defend
Managing up until the end

← 1 — The Explicit Operating Agreement | 3 — The Trust Flywheel →