Replacing "managing up" with a culture of self-management

May 3, 2022

In our last episode, our host Sara Lobkovich took the antiquated concept of "managing up" to task. This episode is part two in this two-part series, where we dive into why and how organizations can replace "managing up" with building a culture of self-management. With norms established around expectations and goal alignment, communication, and candor and truthfulness, organizations can center their most important outcomes more effectively; manage healthy conflict to achieve necessary change; and trade inefficient spin- and politically-motivated posturing for increased comfort with difficult truths so that blockers can be tackled head-on.  A culture of consistent self-management reduces cognitive overhead for workers and leaders and gives everyone in the organization a shared language and practices to help increase mutual understanding of expectations and how people can succeed, together.  We'll introduce the three foundational elements of self-management:

1. Clear expectations (and aligned goals)
2. Mindful communication, and
3. Candor & factfulness

and seven supportive factors that improve self-management effectiveness:

1. Intentional fidelity
2. Accountability & ownership
3. Collaboration and cooperation (and knowing the difference)
4. Emotional regulation
5. Conflict competence
6. Self-awareness, and
7. Intellectual humility. 
   
   

These skills can be learned and developed by leaders and "doers" alike.

You'll hear how self-management ultimately enables everyone in the organization to do their best work: from the C-suite to the summer intern.