Managing up: Communicating 101

You want to ensure you’re on the same page with your manager, as well as keeping her informed of everything you’re doing.
You’re probably going to work in a remote/hybrid environment, so you need to ensure you’re always communicating with your manager.
Communication is a key skill to develop in order to progress through your career.
You will be working on a team, and you want to ensure everyone knows the work you’re doing.

Reach out to the CEO of your company and thank her for the opportunity.
Set 15-20 minute introduction meetings with everyone on your team.
Have a meeting with your manager to discuss key items, such as each other’s working styles, goals and expectations of your new role, and specific tasks you need to complete.
Start working on the first task that was assigned to you.

Reach out to your manager’s manager and let him know your frustrations. Be sure to communicate why you want to take on strategic projects and remember to identify the transferable skills you have that will make you a great fit for those projects.
Contact team members who are working on big projects and ask how you can help them out. Be sure to get those tasks accomplished and then let your manager know the great work you have done with those projects.
Complete courses, credentials, certifications, etc. in project management to show your manager that you’re the person who should be working on high-impact projects.
Continue working on the business as usual tasks and keep track of key metrics. Remember to communicate your impact with your manager by bringing these metrics to your meetings. After a while of you completing the business as usual tasks, discuss the ways you can begin working on a couple of projects with other team members.

Have a candid conversation with your manager and Multiverse coach immediately. Prepare for this meeting by identifying what’s going well, your top concerns, and potential solutions. Remember to be solutions-oriented and attempt to find a common ground in all of these meetings. Be sure to craft clear S.M.A.R.T. goals with both your manager and coach.
Decide on the top tasks that you need to accomplish and get those done. Be sure to ask for extensions on the other assignments.
Reach out to apprentice-alumni and set coffee chats with them to discuss key practices they undertook to be successful. Remember to write down key information and find ways to implement those techniques immediately.
Push through the discomfort and work on the tasks you need to accomplish. Remember, things are always going to be difficult when you start working on them. Chances are life will get better after the 3rd month.

1. Managing up: Communicating 101