In our Breakfast Club session held on 24 August 2024, we explored how to build winning relationships with senior stakeholders for career success. Our speakers, Imane Jamal Eddine, Chief of Staff at Microsoft Asia, and Avon Neo, Managing Director at Nomura, candidly shared their personal experiences on this topic.
During our discussion, we learned that managing up starts with self-management, followed by building strong relationships with peers, and finally aligning your priorities with those of your senior stakeholders.
Our key takeaways:
1. Managing Up Starts with Self-Management
We are the architects of our careers, and it begins with building a strong personal brand. It’s important to have a clear personal value proposition when working with others. While our personal purpose might differ from our work purpose, it's possible to find common ground between the two. In the process, it’s crucial not to neglect personal goals while pursuing professional ones.
Personal Branding: Define your unique value proposition by identifying strengths and areas for development. Leverage this understanding to craft a personal brand that differentiates you.
Gaining Visibility: Align your work with organizational goals and ensure your contributions are recognized. Regularly seek feedback to demonstrate growth and improvement, using "feedforward" techniques.
Authenticity and Consistency: Be genuine in your interactions, stay true to your values, and consistently act in ways that foster trust and reliability.
2. Building and Managing Relationships with Peers
One often overlooked aspect of managing up is cultivating strong relationships with peers. Senior stakeholders frequently consider peer feedback when making promotion decisions. Thus, it’s important to offer support and build genuine connections with colleagues.
Authenticity and Support: Build authentic relationships with peers by being helpful and supportive. Offer assistance beyond your immediate responsibilities. Peers can become valuable allies in your career journey.
Curiosity and Understanding: Show genuine interest in your peers' work and challenges. Take time to understand their perspectives, fostering collaboration and mutual respect.
3. Understanding and Aligning with Your Manager's Priorities
Identify Your Manager’s Concerns: Understand what’s most important to your manager by proactively identifying their key challenges and aligning your efforts to support their success.
Effective Communication: Regularly check in with your manager to ensure alignment on goals and progress. This could be done through regular 1-on-1s or virtual discussions for remote employees. Consistent communication is key, whether via email or virtual meetings.
4. Managing Difficult Career Situations
Dealing with a toxic manager or difficult senior stakeholders requires careful consideration. Our speakers stressed the importance of aligning your values with senior stakeholders for long-term satisfaction. However, when faced with difficult situations, it’s vital to separate your self-worth from a stakeholder’s behavior. Their actions reflect their own issues, not your competence.
A strong support network of trusted colleagues and mentors can help you stay grounded and maintain confidence.
If a manager’s behavior starts to affect your mental health, it’s important to evaluate whether staying in the role is worth the toll it takes on your well-being.
YWLC’s Leadership Breakfast Club series aims to provide participants with insights from accomplished female leaders about their careers and leadership journeys, over authentic and raw conversations over the breakfast table.Â
Author: Janani Nadarajan
Organising team: Samantha Halim, Cheo Pei Rong, Hemaa Sekar, Janani Nadarajan, Jillian Chan, Lee Rui Xian
Comments