Managing up and across means building influence and alignment with people you don't control — your boss, peer managers, and partner teams. It is not politics; it is making sure your team's work connects to the rest of the organization.
Managing up
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• Understand your manager's goals and pressures; make their job easier
• No surprises — flag risks early, bring problems WITH options
• Communicate your team's impact in THEIR language (business outcomes)
• Ask for what your team needs; advocate for them upward
Managing across
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• Build relationships BEFORE you need favors
• Find shared goals with peer teams; make trade-offs explicit
• Over-communicate dependencies and timelines
• Give credit generously; people remember it
A useful habit
Send your manager a short, regular update: progress, risks, and where you need help. It builds trust and prevents the "why didn't I know about this?" conversation.
