That was a quote in an email from someone who jumped on my open office hours Friday afternoon. He sent that Friday night after a 1:1 with his manager.
He wanted to know how to be more valuable and progress his career. He was having a hard time getting more time and attention from his manager.
I walked him through how busy managers / leaders are, how much they have going on and that everyone is looking for something from them.
One way to get their attention and standout is to offer to take something off their plate. I suggested saying “I know you’re busy and have a ton going on, what can I do to help and what can I do to take something off your plate.”
The response was “I’ve never had anyone ask me that before.” Which, he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. I assured him it was. Now he knows who to go to when he needs something.
Managing up is a skill. It’s not just about what the company or managers can do for you, but what can you do to help them. Their jobs are harder than you realize. Even just knowing you made the offer will go a long way.
