en

Candidates

Together, we’ll map out career-defining, life-changing pathways to achieve your ambitions. Browse our range of services, advice, and resources.

Learn more

Find us on WeChat

Visit our WeChat Official Account for more Career Advice

Read more

Services

We understand that no two organisations are the same. Find out more about how we've customised our talent solutions to help clients in China meet their needs.

Read more
Jobs

Our industry specialists will listen to your aspirations and share your story with the most prestigious organisations in China. Together, let’s write the next chapter of your career.

See all jobs
Candidates

Together, we’ll map out career-defining, life-changing pathways to achieve your ambitions. Browse our range of services, advice, and resources.

Learn more

Find us on WeChat

Visit our WeChat Official Account for more Career Advice

Read more
Services

We understand that no two organisations are the same. Find out more about how we've customised our talent solutions to help clients in China meet their needs.

Read more
Insights

Whether you’re seeking to hire talent or seeking a new career move for yourself, we have the latest facts, trends and inspiration you need.

See all resources

Find us on WeChat

Visit our WeChat Official Account for more Market Insights.

Read more
About Robert Walters China

Since our establishment in 2008, our belief remains the same: Building strong relationship with people is vital in a successful partnership.

Learn more

Work for us

Our people are the difference. Hear stories from our people to learn more about a career at Robert Walters China.

Learn more

How to master the art of managing up

Good managers spend a lot of time and energy understanding their team members — for example, what kind of support they need and how to get the best out of them.

In return, good team members should similarly try to understand their managers and understand how to get the best out of them, as well. Knowing how to ‘manage upwards’ can help strengthen your working relationship and build trust. Here are four ways you can start to make your manager’s life (and yours) a whole lot easier:

Discover your manager’s working style

Finding out what makes your manager tick can go a long way towards building a successful working relationship. By understanding how your manager prefers to communicate, how they like to receive feedback, or what their biggest pet peeves are, you can adjust your own behaviour to make life a bit easier for both of you.

Your manager will appreciate you making the accommodation, and you’ll enjoy the benefits of a more positive relationship with your manager.

Share more than you typically would

It’s always a good idea to be visible to your manager, but when working from home, it’s even more important. This isn’t about spamming your manager’s inbox with messages and updates (a sort of reverse micro-management) — indeed, by discovering their working style, you should understand the levels of communication that they prefer. 

Nevertheless, by keeping your manager informed about your progress, they won’t need to chase you for an update and thus have one less thing to worry about.

Build trust through your actions

Building trust is all about integrity. No one is perfect all the time, but doing what you say is one of the things that managers value the most. By delivering your work on time, or being on hand to help with additional projects, you can establish yourself as an independent worker who doesn’t need to be micro-managed.

After all, micro-management is often the result of a manager’s belief that you won’t complete your work without them checking up on you.

Remember to disagree

Your manager isn’t a mind-reader. If you disagree with a decision being made, or if you have a suggestion for how something might be improved, it’s up to you to make yourself heard. While you want to avoid coming across as overly confrontational, find a proper time and place for voicing reasonable and respectful disagreements.

Doing so shows that you care, and a good manager will respect and welcome alternative points of view — perhaps because your perspective had simply not occurred to him or her before. 

Share this article
Useful links

Read more on WeChat

Looking for a job?

Salary Survey

Career Advice

Get in touch

Find out more by contacting one of our specialist recruitment consultants

Related content

View All
Managing an increased workload

As you progress along your career path, it is only natural that you will be trusted with increasing job responsibilities. Once you are able to prove you can handle the extra workload, many more options will become available to you for advancing your career. If you were hired at a junior level but ar

Read More
Having the full remote work conversation with your manager

After several months of working from home, have you come to realise that working remotely greatly improves your work performance and quality of life? Perhaps fewer distractions allow you to focus better on your tasks and less time commuting means more time for family or hobbies. If you’re wanting to

Read More
Igniting passion for your career

Have you ever wondered how some of the best musicians in the world can produce amazing performances in their recitals and concerts, over and over again, as though it was their first time? Or how an actor can perform the same play in a theatre day after day? It comes down to the fact they have passio

Read More