Managing Up: Hot Takes

Overview
This Reforge blog post presents a series of short, provocative "hot takes" on managing up. It offers practical, often counter-intuitive tips for engineers and engineering managers who want to build stronger relationships with their leaders and drive better outcomes.

Key Takeaways

• Be proactive in framing problems and solutions for your manager, not just reporting status.
• Leverage data and outcomes to influence decision-making rather than relying on authority.
• Communicate risk and uncertainty transparently to build trust.
• Align your personal goals with the broader team and company objectives.
• Use concise, action-oriented language to make it easy for managers to act on your recommendations.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers seeking to improve upward communication.
• Senior individual contributors looking to influence senior leadership.
• New managers learning how to navigate relationships with directors and VP-level leaders.
• Product leaders who collaborate closely with engineering teams.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Managing Up framework (problem-solution framing, data-driven influence, transparent risk communication).