Many new managers assume leadership is about managing the people who report to them.
Then reality hits.
Projects stall because another team isn’t aligned.
Decisions get made without your input.
Priorities shift and no one tells you why.
You can be doing everything “right” with your own team and still feel stuck.
That’s because leadership doesn’t live only in your org chart, it lives in the system around you.
The Common Mistake: Staying in Your Lane
New managers often believe that if they just focus on their responsibilities...their team, everything else will take care of itself.
So they:
Avoid speaking up with senior leaders
Hesitate to challenge unclear direction
Wait for alignment instead of creating it
Treat cross-functional partners like obstacles instead of allies
The result?
Missed influence. Slower progress. And a feeling of being reactive instead of strategic.
The Shift: From Doer → Influencer
Managing up and across isn’t about politics or self-promotion.
It’s about clarity, credibility, and communication.
Influence grows when people trust that you:
Understand the bigger picture
Can be relied on to follow through
Communicate proactively, not defensively
Think beyond your own team’s needs
When you shift from “getting your work done” to “helping the system work better,” your impact expands.
How to Build Credibility Upward and Sideways
1. Translate work into outcomes leaders care about
Senior leaders think in priorities, risk, and impact - not tasks.
Frame updates around results, tradeoffs, and recommendations.
2. Anticipate before you escalate
Don’t wait until something breaks.
Surface risks early and come prepared with options, not just problems.
3. Build relationships before you need them
Influence is built over time, not in moments of urgency.
Get to know cross-functional partners as people, not just roles.
4. Align publicly, clarify privately
Support decisions once they’re made, but ask questions and offer feedback in the right forums.
5. Be known for follow-through
Credibility compounds when people know you do what you say you will, consistently.
6. Advocate for your team without complaining
Represent challenges factually and professionally.
Focus on solutions, not frustration.
What Managing Up and Across Is Not
It’s not sucking up.
It’s not office politics.
It’s not bypassing your manager.
It’s leadership maturity and understanding that results depend on influence, not authority.
Why This Matters
As your scope grows, fewer people will report directly to you, but more people will affect your success.
Leaders who manage up and across well:
Get earlier insight into decisions
Reduce friction between teams
Create momentum instead of bottlenecks
Are trusted with bigger opportunities
Your effectiveness is no longer defined by how well you manage your team, but by how well you navigate and influence the system around you.
👉 Next up in Part 9: “Building Confidence and Presence.”
How to speak up and set direction while remaining calm under pressure.
