Table of Contents
Most professionals assume their manager’s job is to manage them. Consequently, they often feel resentment when asked to "manage up," viewing it as doing work they aren't paid for. However, shifting this perspective is often the defining factor in career acceleration. Wes Kao, co-founder of Maven and the altMBA, argues that managing up isn't about doing your boss's job; it is about cultivating trust, gaining autonomy, and unlocking opportunities. Drawing from her experience working alongside visionaries like Seth Godin and Scott Galloway, Kao offers a masterclass in persuasive communication, rigorous thinking, and the subtle art of professional leverage.
Key Takeaways
- Focus on the "Super Specific How": Most content fails because it dwells on the "what" and "why." Value comes from explaining the nuances of execution and application.
- Utilize the State Change Method: To maintain engagement in virtual meetings, disrupt the flow every 3–5 minutes with interaction, visual shifts, or dialogue.
- Manage Up to Unlock Freedom: Proactive communication—specifically regarding priorities and blockers—builds the trust required for autonomy.
- Master the "Trade-off" Refusal: When saying no, present the decision as a prioritization choice rather than a personal rejection.
- Respect the Content Hierarchy: Recognize that different formats allow for different levels of rigor; live courses tolerate the least amount of "fluff" compared to social media.
The "Super Specific How": Elevating Your Writing
In professional communication and content creation, there is a tendency to over-explain the premise. Writers often spend the majority of their word count establishing context—the "what" and the "why"—before briefly skimming over the solution. Kao argues that this ratio is backward. Unless a concept is radically new or controversial, the audience likely already agrees with the premise. What they lack is the tactical roadmap for execution.
Cut the Preamble
To write effectively, you must eliminate the "throat-clearing" text that precedes the actual value. Kao utilizes a framework she calls "Start right before you get eaten by the bear." If you are telling a story about a camping trip gone wrong, the audience does not need to hear about buying the tent at REI or the traffic on the drive up. They want to be dropped into the narrative the moment the danger appears.
You want to spend that time talking about how to get buy-in when you don't have positional authority... or how to communicate ideas where they're kind of assertions and hypotheses. These are all elements of communication that are juicier and more specific.
By bypassing the backstory and diving immediately into the "Super Specific How," you respect the reader's intelligence and time. This involves detailing the nuances, the edge cases, and the specific application of ideas rather than speaking in generalities.
The Content Hierarchy of Validity
Kao visualizes content credibility as a pyramid. At the bottom, you have formats with a high tolerance for generalizations, such as tweets, podcasts, and keynote speeches. These are often unidirectional; the speaker drops a statement and walks away without needing to defend it immediately. This format allows for "fluff" or untested theories to survive.
As you move up the pyramid—through long-form essays and books—the tolerance for lack of rigor decreases. At the very peak sits the cohort-based course. In this environment, students are live, active, and financially invested. If an instructor provides a vague answer, they are immediately challenged in the chat or Q&A. This dynamic forces a level of intellectual honesty and depth that other formats do not require. Aspiring thought leaders should aim to write with the rigor of a course creator, even when posting to social media.
The State Change Method: Commanding Attention
The default structure of modern business meetings—monologues delivered over Zoom—is fundamentally flawed. It asks participants to sit still, stare at a camera, and remain passive for extended periods. Biologically and psychologically, this induces fatigue. To combat this, Kao advocates for the "State Change Method."
Punctuate the Monologue
A state change is any action that breaks the pattern of a presentation and forces the audience to reset their attention. This should happen roughly every three to five minutes or every few slides. It turns audience engagement from an art form into a science.
Effective state changes include:
- Modality Switching: Toggling from a screen share back to "gallery view" to facilitate face-to-face discussion.
- Active Contributions: Asking participants to type a single word or number into the chat.
- Breakout Sessions: Moving from a group setting to small pods, then returning for a "popcorn" style share-out.
- Cold Calling with Warmth: Inviting specific individuals to unmute and weigh in.
Reading the "Eyes Light Up" Moment
When presenting or pitching, many professionals operate with a degree of delusion. They accept polite nods and "that’s interesting" comments as validation. However, true engagement is visceral. Kao advises watching specifically for the moment a person’s eyes light up. This involuntary reaction is the only reliable data point indicating you have hit on a resonant topic.
If a stakeholder looks bored, they are bored. Do not ignore that data. Pivot immediately or note that the current angle is ineffective. Conversely, when you observe the "eyes light up" moment, you should abandon your script and double down on that specific area of interest. This requires the confidence to deviate from your prepared remarks to serve the listener's actual curiosity.
Managing Up and the Power of "No"
Managing up is frequently misunderstood as political maneuvering. In reality, it is an operational necessity. Senior leaders are often the best at managing up because they understand that their superiors are resource-constrained and time-poor. By managing your boss, you reduce their cognitive load, which they repay with trust and opportunities.
The "State of You" Update
One of the most effective tactical tools for managing up is a weekly email update. This simple communication loop prevents the micromangement that stems from anxiety and lack of visibility. A highly effective format includes three clear sections:
- Current Priorities: "Here is what I am focusing on this week."
- Blockers: "Here is where I am stuck and need your intervention."
- FYI/Context: "Here are things on my radar that you should know about, but require no action."
This structure forces alignment. If you are working on the wrong priority, your manager can correct it immediately. If you are blocked, you are explicitly asking for help. It eliminates surprises, which is the golden rule of corporate dynamics.
Prioritize and Communicate
Saying "no" is difficult, especially for those with people-pleasing tendencies. However, a flat refusal can damage relationships, while a "yes" to everything leads to burnout and failure. The solution lies in discussing trade-offs rather than refusal.
When a new request comes in, do not ask yourself if you can do it. Instead, present the cost of doing it to the requester. This technique shifts the conversation from a binary "yes/no" to a strategic discussion about resources.
Yes, I can design this PDF for you. That means that the redesigning of the page on the site will have to wait until later this week... Does that sound good to you?
By framing the "no" as a prioritization decision, you empower the stakeholder to choose what matters most. You are not refusing to be helpful; you are protecting the integrity of the existing priorities. This method—often summarized as "Prioritize and Communicate"—allows you to maintain boundaries while remaining a collaborative partner.
Conclusion
Whether you are drafting an internal memo, running a remote meeting, or negotiating workload with a manager, the core skill is intentionality. Most professionals operate on autopilot—writing with too much preamble, presenting in monologues, and accepting work until they break. By applying rigorous frameworks like the State Change Method and the Super Specific How, you move from being a passive participant in your career to an active driver of your professional narrative.
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