Leading down is expected.
Leading across is challenging.
But leading up? that’s an art form!
You navigate egos that are bigger than budgets.
You soften truths so they can be digested.
You fight for your team without sounding defensive.
And you say “noted” to decisions that don’t make sense. Because diplomacy keeps the lights on.
You tell yourself it’s part of the job.
That managing up means being strategic.
And it does. But sometimes, it also feels like being invisible.
You write the decks they present.
You polish the words they take credit for.
You build the results that make them look visionary.
And yet, when it’s time for recognition, you fade quietly into the background.
No acknowledgment. No promotions.
That’s the duality of leadership.
To obey without surrendering, to serve without shrinking.
Because managing up isn’t about pleasing the people above you.
It’s about protecting the people below you.
So yes, play the game.
Speak their language.
Make them feel in control.
But never forget your own voice in the process.
Because one day, when it’s your turn to be “the boss leader,”
your team will only rise as high as your integrity stood when you weren’t yet in charge.