The Managing Up Playbook To Get Promoted Faster
How to keep managers unblocked, make their lives easier, and get sponsorship in return
Before we start, do check out
“2x Your Compensation in Tech” Cohort
I have opened the application form for my next cohort, which kicks off on September 6
If you are a software engineer with 2-10 years of experience and want to get the offer you deserve, you can check the details below and fill out the application form if interested
I handpick 15 folks so that it is a close cohort, and members can get maximum value
Intro
Most engineers think promotions are earned by shipping more code, learning harder algorithms, or staying late at work.
But at senior levels, growth hinges on one underrated skill: managing up
Managing up doesn’t mean politics or flattery. It means becoming the person who removes friction for your manager, someone who brings clarity, solves problems before they escalate, and aligns execution with top priorities
Do this well, and you stop being just “a good engineer”.
You become someone worth sponsoring: the kind of person leaders pull into conversations you didn’t even know were happening.
The Three Layers of Managing Up
Managing up stacks in layers, each reinforcing the next:
Clarity: You reduce surprises and keep your manager informed
Leverage: You actively solve problems so they don’t have to
Alignment: You ensure your work maps to what matters most for them and the org
Master these three, and you shift from being managed to being trusted with a bigger scope.
1. Build Clarity
Keep your manager out of the dark
Managers hate surprises. Their job is to know what’s happening so they can prioritize, allocate, and shield the team. If you make them guess, they waste cycles.
Trust Signals
They know what you’re working on without chasing you
They rarely get blindsided by risks
They can confidently update their leadership using your words
Action Items
✅ Send structured weekly updates (even if not asked)
Format:
What I shipped
What I’m doing
Risks/blockers
✅ Flag risks early with options
Don’t just say: “We’re blocked.”
Say: “We might be delayed by X. Two paths: A (quick fix), B (longer but scalable). I’d recommend B. Do you agree?”
✅ Summarize, don’t overwhelm
Distill problems into 2–3 crisp bullets instead of forwarding 50 Slack messages.
Example: During a project at Salesforce, instead of escalating a vague “project is behind,” I told my manager:
Project XYZ is slipping. Options: cut 2 low-risk APIs and ship on time, or delay 1 week for full coverage.
My vote: cut scope, no user impact.
That wasn’t dumping a problem; it was packaging it with solutions
2. Create Leverage
Make your manager’s job lighter, not heavier
Your manager is juggling roadmap planning, cross-team politics, hiring, and fire drills. If you can reduce their load, you stand out.