The toughest learning I’ve ever tackled across my career in HE has been this rather ephemeral concept of ‘managing upwards’. And I don’t think I’ve yet got to the finish line! I rather dislike the term, so I’ve rebadged it ‘vertical influence’ for the purpose of this blog.
There are thousands of training courses on how to be a great line manager. Not so much when it comes to developing a trusting relationship with your own line manager. It’s talked about loosely but rarely discussed in any detail.
In principle, this should simply be a case of effective relationship management – if you can refine the art of developing strong trusting relationships with others then it should translate directly to building trust with your line manager.
In reality, though, the combination of power imbalance and information asymmetry means that developing trust with your boss is a whole new world. And, bluntly, if you add privilege into the mix, it can become even tougher.
For me, ‘vertical influence’ is all about creating a productive, trusting relationship with your immediate boss. It is absolutely not about manipulation or playing politics. Or vying for power. If any of those are in the mix, the foundations of trust will never be built.
A trust-based relationship means that business runs smoothly, misunderstandings are rapidly corrected and problems resolved quickly, optimally and without ego.
When trust is absent, it can be an extraordinarily unpleasant place to be – for both parties. Proposals can be blocked without clear rationale, misunderstanding can spiral into veiled conflict and anxiety levels can reach new heights. No-one works or thinks well with a constant low hum of stress and threat. And given the power imbalance, the reportee is generally the one that feels the heat most.
So what can we do to build this ‘vertical influence’?
I’ve taken a look at the research, blended it with my own experiences and boiled it down to 3 key approaches:
- Get inside their world: Understanding what keeps your Chair or VC or DVC awake at 3am gives you valuable context. What pressures are they under? What are their top priorities this term? Research shows that staff who actively try to understand their manager’s context report much more satisfying working relationships and get more support when they need it. And if you don’t know, consider asking them directly with empathy. It can be extraordinarily lonely at the top.
- Speak their language: We all have preferred communication styles. Some senior leaders want the big headlines upfront, others want to explore every detail before making decisions. Adapting your approach is not inauthentic; it’s being empathetic and tuning into their wavelength.
- Build and sustain your reliability capital: Consistently delivering what you promise when you promise it builds a reserve of trust that becomes invaluable when you need flexibility or support. This means not over-promising and letting the boss know well in advance if a deadline needs to change. ‘No surprises’ is my catchphrase for this trait.
So, once you feel you’ve become comfortable with these approaches, you can go deeper…!
Going from Influence to Deeper Trust
Maister, Green and Galford’s book “The Trusted Advisor” offers brilliant insights into this relationship. Their Trust Equation (Trustworthiness = Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy ÷ Self-Orientation) offers a useful framework:
- Credibility: Demonstrating your expertise without being pompous
- Reliability: Doing what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it
- Intimacy: Creating safe spaces for honest conversations
- Self-Orientation: Often framed as ‘being corporate’ – focusing on institutional goals rather than advocating for your team/department.
I’ve seen the transformation that happens when trust becomes the foundation. One faculty manager transformed her relationship with a particularly challenging Dean simply by scheduling regular 15-minute updates focused specifically on the Dean’s priority projects – building reliability while reducing their understandable anxiety about delivery.
And I have also seen some really rather toe curling tactics at play across the years!
So Here Are Some Things to Avoid!
Some approaches, while ostensibly appealing, absolutely do not work:
- The obvious flattery: Research shows that transparent attempts to ingratiate yourself typically backfire spectacularly. Most senior leaders have finely-tuned authenticity radars. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t share honest appreciation. On the contrary, this can build trust and mutual empathy. But it has be honest and specific.
- Over- agreeing / saying yes: Always agreeing with the boss feels safe, but it ultimately undermines both your credibility and the institution’s success. Effective (and secure) leaders tend to actively seek out those willing to provide thoughtful and constructive challenge.
- The guardian of bad news: Hiding problems until they’re unavoidable never ends well. Finding the right way to surface issues early, completely, and without making excuses or deflections is an art worth mastering.
So To Summarise – It’s About Finding Your Own Way
What’s worked for me is thinking of it as a partnership rather than a hierarchy. Yes, there’s a formal reporting line, but effective working relationships are built on mutual respect, clear communication and a shared commitment to institutional goals.
The most successful professional services leaders don’t work for their senior managers; they work with them. They understand the pressures from above, anticipate needs, communicate clearly (even when it’s difficult), and maintain their professional integrity throughout.
It’s not easy! Particularly in our complex organisational structures where you might be reporting to both a DVC and a COO with different priorities. With practice, and by actively noticing what’s going on in the room, you can make a real difference.
To quote Mary Abbajay: “The key to managing up is to understand that your boss is just like everyone else. Your job isn’t to make your boss happy. It’s to help your boss be successful, to help your organisation be successful, and to do it in such a way that you’re true to who you are.“
What’s your experience with vertical influence? Have you found approaches that work particularly well in a HE context? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
