A Guide to Working With Leaders

Managing Up
By Melody Wilding
Crown Currency, 320 pp., $30

Have you ever been unsure how to navigate power dynamics while maintaining and building relationships? In Managing Up, Wilding presents a unique approach to workplace dynamics, focusing on empowering employees to advocate for themselves and their work.

Motivated employees often face the challenge of working effectively with those in positions of greater power or authority to secure necessary resources and support. Wilding approaches that issue in an innovative, structured format that will keep readers coming back as they build their confidence. This book isn't a typical leadership read; it's a handbook and reference guide to help individuals understand and overcome barriers within their work lives. Wilding's experience as a therapist, executive career coach, and human behavior professor lends credence to her unique perspective.

The book revolves around 10 essential conversations for employees, with tactical and practical advice on topics such as setting boundaries, communication styles, micromanagement, and seeking advancement. Each conversation includes detailed scripts and evidence-based insights, making it easy for individuals to apply the concepts in their own lives.

The author includes "Beyond the Conversation" and "What to Do When …" subsections in each chapter that enable readers to troubleshoot complicated scenarios related to each conversation.

Wilding does a great job of humanizing managers and their motivations. She provides sound advice, recognizing that manager reactions are often rooted in specific reasoning. Additionally, the book offers valuable guidance on navigating unspoken organizational rules and cultural norms, empowering individuals to think proactively and make subtle changes for maximum impact.

Unlike traditional leadership books that concentrate on managing down, this handbook offers practical strategies for managing up, equipping readers with the tools to influence stakeholders and drive change within their companies. Wilding's advice is relevant to talent development professionals navigating their own careers as well as TD practitioners who coach and guide others on their career journeys. The author's practical strategies and focus on employee empowerment make this book a standout in the field of leadership and TD resources.