How to Lead, 5th Edition

Chapter 37

Manage your boss

In the past, you had to manage your team. The idea that you might have to manage your boss would have been absurd and revolutionary. Bosses bossed and you took the orders you were given. This belief is still reflected in management literature and training programmes, which focus on how leaders should manage their teams. But if you want to succeed today, you can no longer rely on the goodwill of your boss for the rest of your career. You have to manage your boss to make sure you get the right assignments, the right support and the right opportunities for promotion and growth.

If you want to be effective, you have to manage your boss well – they have the power to make life good or bad for you. They are the most ...