Managing up, also called leading up, or followership, is a critical skill at any level of an organization. In this episode, educational consultant Julie Koenke talks about the nuanced skill of managing up. She explains how it can help you better work with your supervisor and help your organization get the results you are aiming for.

What You’ll Learn

• The definition of managing up
• What managing up looks like with your supervisor
• Why being a "good soldier" isn't what your boss is looking for
• How managing up helps all levels of the organization succeed

About Julie Koenke

Julie Koenke is the Director of the Great Lakes College and Career Pathway Partnership. Prior to this role, Julie worked as the Director of Secondary Programs and Pathways Partnerships for the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) in Wisconsin. She led MMSD’s efforts to implement personalized pathways with a Linked Learning approach across 16 middle and high schools. Julie has 17 years of experience developing public/private partnerships. She has developed numerous partnerships between public schools, non-profits, higher education institutions, businesses, foundations, and industry in order to bolster student achievement and success. During her 17 years of service in MMSD, she developed partnerships that increased participation in after school programs, increased high school graduation rates, college enrollment rates, access to and achievement in advanced and rigorous coursework for students of color.

Julie has over 20 years of experience as a youth worker, community educator, professional developer, and district administrator working towards systems level change in the City of Madison, WI. She brings an expertise in developing effective collaborative teams, change management, and a passion for creating equitable schools and communities. She has a Master of Fine Arts from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an undergraduate degree from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

Resources

• Harvard Business Review article about Managing Up

The Weekly Challenge Your challenge this week is to set up a meeting with your supervisor and ask two questions: 1) What can I do differently? 2) How can I best support you? Your supervisor might be surprised by your questions. Their response will help you do a better job of managing up and meeting the organizational goals. Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below.  

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