Managing Bosses: The Art of Building Effective Working Relationships – UII Management Study Program

Managing Bosses: The Art of Building Effective Working Relationships

Abdur Rafik, SE, M.Sc.

August 14

In 1980, there was an interesting article written by two Management Professors from Harvard entitled "Managing your boss". This article was then republished in the Spring 2016 edition of Harvard Business Review. At Harvard Business Review, it is common for certain articles that discuss important issues that are considered relevant to be republished in different editions, several years or even decades later. Then what is the content of the article written by the two professors?

In the past, when the science of management was born, there was a growing general understanding that in order to achieve the best organizational performance, it was necessary to have a clear division of roles between workers, including who had the authority to manage and who was being managed. Those who are authorized to manage this, we call it a manager, in whose role one of the tasks is to manage people, and those who are managed are workers or subordinates. So in this case, managing subordinates is the manager's job. However, is it true that only managers have the responsibility of managing? Or, perhaps, subordinates, in that capacity, also have a role in managing people, including their own superiors?

This is what the two Professors highlighted earlier. The concept of “managing superiors” can sound strange and contradictory. Maybe even sound a little manipulative and political. Why should subordinates manage superiors? Isn't it the boss who has to manage the subordinates? Aren't subordinates not paid to manage superiors? Why is it then the responsibility of subordinates to be able to manage superiors? For some people, such questions may arise because in most organizations, the line of instruction is top-down, which means that it is the boss who manages and instructs the subordinates, not the other way around.

Then, what is the real intention of the two professors who imply from the title of their writing that subordinates must also manage superiors? According to the two professors, the success of an organization depends on building a constructive relationship between superiors and subordinates. If this relationship is not able to build, the impact will be bad for the organization. According to them, while superiors have primary responsibility for managing subordinates and ensuring effective communication for organizational goals, the reality is often different. Not all subordinates are fortunate to have superiors with ideal managerial capabilities. Each boss has a unique background, personality and leadership style, which can be a challenge in the dynamics of workplace relationships.

For this reason, in the view of these two Professors, subordinates also need to manage superiors and be active to ensure an effective working relationship with superiors. This does not mean that subordinates are manipulative or trying to take over the role of superiors, but rather about constructive proactivity. Therefore, both superiors and subordinates must understand each other—starting from their needs, priorities, to their respective work styles. Work dynamics is not a one-way process where only managers manage. Conversely, subordinates must also be proactive, adapting their approach according to the characteristics and needs of the superior.

In leadership theory, there is a theory that requires a leader to be able to adjust his approach and leadership style according to the conditions at hand, not solely based on his suitability and personal preference. This means a leader must dare to get out of his comfort zone, maybe even act like an impostor. Sometimes, a leader may have to give up some of his authenticity and characteristics in order to experiment and find the best strategy in managing the organization he leads.

A friend who happens to work at one of the well-known companies in this country, once shared his story about his days as a manager. He admits that sometimes he feels like an “impostor” in front of his team. Sometimes, he feels that every word and decision he makes, feels like an internal battle between being himself and living up to other people's expectations. However, he realized that authenticity is not about demonstrating who he is and what his powers are, but about finding a balance between being yourself and living up to other people's expectations.

Subordinates, like superiors, also have an important role in the dynamics of workplace relations. Managing superiors does not mean submitting without principle or trying to act manipulatively. Instead, it's about experimenting, looking for the best approach to work to the best of the best interests of the organization. Sometimes, subordinates also have to have the courage to let go of a little self-authenticity, to become an “impostor”, for the sake of learning and personal growth. Whatever our position and role in the organization, in the end, we are all canvases that are constantly being painted, each stroke beautifying and perfecting.

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Abdur Rafik, SE, M.Sc.

is a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Management, Faculty of Business and Economics, Indonesian Islamic University (UII), Yogyakarta. His teaching interests are Finance Management, Investment Management, and Islamic Finance

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