Bonus SectionManaging Up

Creativity takes courage.

—Henri Matisse

Management is rarely a one-way street. In fact, much of your time as a manager will be spent “managing” your superiors. You’ll need to learn how to leverage responses and behavior—whether subtly or overtly—from your higher-ups. Caution: this is not for the meek. This kind of managing takes practice, creativity, and, sometimes, courage. It’s not for the novice. All of us can feel powerless at times when it comes to interacting with those who sign our paychecks. If you’ve ever felt this way, this section is definitely for you!

How to Say No to a Superior

Gentle to Blunt

• I can see it’s important to you; can I try tackling it later, once I’m free?

• I wish you had asked me earlier, ...

Get The Manager’s Phrase Book now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.