HBR 20-Minute Manager Boxed Set (10 Books) (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

Managing Up

24

that until you understand how she defi nes those re-

sponsibilities and standards and which metrics she’ll

use to gauge your progress.

Ask her to describe what she’s looking for in your

work. If she doesn’t articulate her expectations clearly,

try writing them up and sharing that informal docu-

ment with her to make sure you’ve captured them ac-

curately. Then schedule a follow-up conversation or

ask for written feedback—whichever your manager

prefers. You’ll want to revisit those expectations peri-

odically, in case they change.

Every job—and every manager-subordinate re-

lationship—is different. But most managers expect

some combination of these behaviors from their di-

rect reports:

• Offer ideas. Make creative suggestions for

innovation ...