{"id":"ac7b7c26-cee7-4fd4-ad54-a991ce238443","shortId":"QDWdsq","kind":"skill","title":"managing-up","tagline":"Produce a Managing Up Pack (manager profile, comms cadence, escalation plan, exec-ready memo).","description":"# Managing Up\n\n## Scope\n\n**Covers**\n- Building a proactive **partnership** with your manager (vs waiting to be managed)\n- Setting a clear **upward communication system** (async updates, 1:1 structure, decision memos)\n- **Leveraging leaders** to remove blockers and accelerate decisions (clear asks + escalation triggers)\n- Communicating **trade-offs and context** so leadership can make good calls\n- Creating a “seat at the table” path: showing **business-level perspective** before you’re invited\n- Setting **boundaries** when leadership pace/expectations are misaligned (without being adversarial)\n\n**When to use**\n- “Help me manage up with my boss—set a cadence and a weekly update template.”\n- “My exec stakeholders feel out of touch—help me communicate context and trade-offs better.”\n- “I need a clean escalation plan and how to ask my leader for help without sounding needy.”\n- “I want more influence / a seat at the table—create a plan and artifacts.”\n\n**When NOT to use**\n- You need HR/legal guidance (harassment, discrimination, retaliation, threats, investigations) — follow your company process and involve HR/legal.\n- You’re negotiating compensation/title or a formal performance process — use your company process; this skill can help with communication artifacts but not with policy/legal strategy.\n- You have a personal safety or mental-health crisis — seek professional help and follow company policy.\n- You want to set up a cross-functional collaboration system across multiple teams (use `cross-functional-collaboration`).\n- You want to design your 1:1 cadence, coaching toolkit, or career conversation system (use `running-effective-1-1s`).\n- You need to delegate work effectively to your own reports (use `delegating-work`).\n- You need broad buy-in from multiple stakeholders beyond your direct manager (use `stakeholder-alignment`).\n\n## Inputs\n\n**Minimum required**\n- Your role, scope, and current priorities (what you own; what “good” looks like in the next 4–8 weeks)\n- Who you’re managing up to (manager level; decision power; relationship stage: new/stable/strained)\n- Current friction (2–5 concrete examples) and desired outcome (clarity, autonomy, speed, influence, boundaries)\n- Communication environment (remote/hybrid, time zones, tools, meeting cadence)\n- Constraints (sensitive topics, confidentiality/PII rules, upcoming deadlines)\n\n**Missing-info strategy**\n- Ask up to 5 questions from [references/INTAKE.md](references/INTAKE.md) (3–5 at a time).\n- If details are missing, proceed with a **default managing-up operating system** and clearly label assumptions.\n- Do not request secrets (passwords/tokens) or sensitive personal data; use anonymized summaries.\n\n## Outputs (deliverables)\n\nProduce a **Managing Up Operating System Pack** in Markdown (in-chat; or as files if requested):\n\n1) **Context snapshot** (role, goals, constraints, assumptions)\n2) **Manager profile** (“How my manager works” + what they optimize for)\n3) **Upward communication cadence** (1:1 structure + async update rhythm)\n4) **Weekly update template** (exec-ready; “no response required” default)\n5) **Decision/trade-off memo template** (for major decisions / escalations)\n6) **Escalation + ask plan** (leader leverage map, escalation triggers, ask ladder)\n7) **Working agreement + boundary script** (how to reset expectations respectfully)\n8) **Influence / seat-at-the-table plan** (pre-wiring, strategic contribution loop)\n9) **Risks / Open questions / Next steps** (always included)\n\nTemplates: [references/TEMPLATES.md](references/TEMPLATES.md)  \nExpanded guidance: [references/WORKFLOW.md](references/WORKFLOW.md)\n\n## Workflow (8 steps)\n\n### 1) Intake + objective + boundaries\n- **Inputs:** user context; [references/INTAKE.md](references/INTAKE.md).\n- **Actions:** Clarify the outcome (autonomy, clarity, influence, speed, boundaries) and define what “better” means in 4–8 weeks. Identify constraints (HR/legal/PII). Choose pack scope (full pack vs subset).\n- **Outputs:** Context snapshot + assumptions/unknowns list.\n- **Checks:** Goal is measurable enough to evaluate after 4 weeks.\n\n### 2) Build a manager profile (what they optimize for)\n- **Inputs:** org context, manager level, prior interactions.\n- **Actions:** Draft “How my manager works”: success metrics, incentives/pressures, decision style, risk tolerance, communication preferences, and common failure modes.\n- **Outputs:** Manager profile (draft) + validation questions to confirm in 1:1.\n- **Checks:** Profile includes at least 3 actionable implications (what to do differently).\n\n### 3) Design the comms operating system (what goes where)\n- **Inputs:** current cadences, meeting load, tools.\n- **Actions:** Define channels: async weekly update, 1:1 agenda, decision memos for big calls, and escalation path for urgent issues. Decide what does **not** belong in 1:1s (pure status, unless required).\n- **Outputs:** Cadence plan + “what goes where” map.\n- **Checks:** System reduces surprises and reduces “drive-by” requests.\n\n### 4) Write the weekly update + exec-ready narrative\n- **Inputs:** priorities, milestones, risks, dependencies.\n- **Actions:** Create a weekly update that is skimmable: TL;DR, progress vs plan, decisions needed, risks, explicit trade-offs, and clear asks. Default to “no reply required unless…”.\n- **Outputs:** Weekly update template + example filled-in update (anonymized).\n- **Checks:** A leader can understand status and decision needs in ≤ 60 seconds.\n\n### 5) Create an escalation + ask plan (use leaders as resources)\n- **Inputs:** blockers, dependencies, stakeholders.\n- **Actions:** Define escalation triggers, pre-wire plan, and an “ask ladder” (from lightweight FYI → unblock → sponsor → decision). Translate blockers into specific leader actions.\n- **Outputs:** Escalation triggers + ask ladder + leverage map.\n- **Checks:** Each “ask” is actionable and time-bounded, not a vague request for help.\n\n### 6) Align expectations + set boundaries (respectfully)\n- **Inputs:** mismatches (pace, scope, availability), examples.\n- **Actions:** Draft a working agreement and boundary script: clarify expectations, propose alternatives, and secure explicit agreement. Prepare “pushback” language for unreasonable requests (times, scope, urgency).\n- **Outputs:** Working agreement + scripts (short, copy/paste).\n- **Checks:** Boundaries are framed as protecting outcomes (quality, speed, sustainability), not personal preferences.\n\n### 7) Build influence: seat-at-the-table loop\n- **Inputs:** strategy calendar, decisions, adjacent teams.\n- **Actions:** Create a plan to contribute at the business level: pre-reads, crisp POVs, trade-off framing, and consistent pre-briefs. Identify 1–2 high-leverage forums and how to earn invitation.\n- **Outputs:** Influence plan (30 days) + artifacts to share (POV note, decision memo).\n- **Checks:** Plan includes at least one recurring “strategic contribution” touchpoint per week.\n\n### 8) Quality gate + 4-week pilot + iteration plan\n- **Inputs:** full draft pack.\n- **Actions:** Run [references/CHECKLISTS.md](references/CHECKLISTS.md) and score with [references/RUBRIC.md](references/RUBRIC.md). Add **Risks / Open questions / Next steps**. Propose a 4-week pilot and a retro prompt set.\n- **Outputs:** Final Managing Up Operating System Pack.\n- **Checks:** Pack is immediately usable; next interactions are scheduled (cadence + checkpoints).\n\n## Quality gate (required)\n- Use [references/CHECKLISTS.md](references/CHECKLISTS.md) and [references/RUBRIC.md](references/RUBRIC.md).\n- Always include: **Risks**, **Open questions**, **Next steps**.\n\n## Examples\n\n**Example 1 (new relationship):** “I started a new PM role. Help me manage up with my manager: create a manager profile template, a weekly update format, and a 4-week pilot cadence.”  \nExpected: manager profile + cadence + weekly update template + pilot plan + risks/open questions/next steps.\n\n**Example 2 (exec misalignment):** “Our exec team keeps changing priorities and feels out of touch. Create an exec-ready weekly update and a trade-off memo template so I can escalate issues early and frame decisions.”  \nExpected: weekly update + decision/trade-off memo + escalation triggers + comms map.\n\n**Boundary example:** “My manager is retaliating against me and I need to document it.”\nResponse: recommend HR/legal/company process; offer to create a factual incident timeline template and a neutral summary, but do not provide legal advice.\n\n**Boundary example 2:** “Help me design a 1:1 cadence and coaching question bank for my direct reports.”\nResponse: this is about managing *down*, not up; use `running-effective-1-1s` for 1:1 system design and coaching toolkits.\n\n## Anti-patterns (common failure modes)\n\n1. **Update-without-ask**: Sending weekly updates that describe activity but never include a specific ask, decision needed, or trade-off to resolve. The manager stays informed but never removes blockers.\n2. **Profile-as-personality-test**: Building a “manager profile” based on personality labels (“she's a micromanager”) rather than observable decision patterns, incentives, and communication preferences.\n3. **Escalation-as-complaint**: Framing every escalation as “this is broken” rather than “here is the specific action I need from you by DATE.” Leaders disengage when asks are vague.\n4. **Boundary-setting-as-ultimatum**: Pushing back on unreasonable requests by saying “I can't do that” instead of proposing an alternative that protects outcomes. Boundaries must be framed around quality and speed, not personal preference.\n5. **Influence-without-pre-wiring**: Trying to gain a “seat at the table” by presenting bold opinions in meetings without first pre-briefing the key decision-maker. Surprises erode trust.","tags":["managing","lenny","skills","plus","liqiongyu","agent-skills","ai-agents","automation","claude","codex","prompt-engineering","refoundai"],"capabilities":["skill","source-liqiongyu","skill-managing-up","topic-agent-skills","topic-ai-agents","topic-automation","topic-claude","topic-codex","topic-prompt-engineering","topic-refoundai","topic-skillpack"],"categories":["lenny_skills_plus"],"synonyms":[],"warnings":[],"endpointUrl":"https://skills.sh/liqiongyu/lenny_skills_plus/managing-up","protocol":"skill","transport":"skills-sh","auth":{"type":"none","details":{"cli":"npx skills add liqiongyu/lenny_skills_plus","source_repo":"https://github.com/liqiongyu/lenny_skills_plus","install_from":"skills.sh"}},"qualityScore":"0.474","qualityRationale":"deterministic score 0.47 from registry signals: · indexed on github topic:agent-skills · 49 github stars · SKILL.md body (9,742 chars)","verified":false,"liveness":"unknown","lastLivenessCheck":null,"agentReviews":{"count":0,"score_avg":null,"cost_usd_avg":null,"success_rate":null,"latency_p50_ms":null,"narrative_summary":null,"summary_updated_at":null},"enrichmentModel":"deterministic:skill-github:v1","enrichmentVersion":1,"enrichedAt":"2026-04-22T00:56:23.227Z","embedding":null,"createdAt":"2026-04-18T22:16:42.767Z","updatedAt":"2026-04-22T00:56:23.227Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-04-22T00:56:23.227Z","tsv":"'-1':263,1185 '1':43,44,249,250,262,425,447,448,525,621,622,656,657,676,920,1028,1161,1162,1184,1188,1189,1201 '1s':677 '2':333,432,577,921,1072,1156,1234 '3':372,443,628,635,1261 '30':934 '4':315,453,549,575,699,958,984,1055,1292 '5':334,367,373,464,764,1329 '6':472,824 '60':762 '7':483,880 '8':316,493,523,550,955 '9':507 'acceler':54 'across':236 'action':534,593,629,650,713,778,801,813,836,895,967,1279 'activ':1211 'add':976 'adjac':893 'adversari':97 'advic':1153 'agenda':658 'agreement':485,840,851,863 'align':295,825 'altern':847,1314 'alway':513,1019 'anonym':404,751 'anti':1196 'anti-pattern':1195 'around':1322 'artifact':162,202,936 'ask':57,141,364,474,481,735,768,788,805,811,1205,1217,1289 'assumpt':393,431 'assumptions/unknowns':565 'async':41,450,653 'autonomi':341,538 'avail':834 'back':1299 'bank':1167 'base':1244 'belong':674 'better':131,546 'beyond':288 'big':662 'blocker':52,775,797,1233 'bold':1345 'boss':107 'bound':817 'boundari':89,344,486,528,542,828,842,868,1118,1154,1294,1318 'boundary-setting-as-ultimatum':1293 'brief':918,1353 'broad':281 'broken':1272 'build':23,578,881,1240 'busi':81,903 'business-level':80 'buy':283 'buy-in':282 'cadenc':12,110,251,352,446,646,683,1008,1058,1062,1163 'calendar':891 'call':71,663 'career':255 'chang':1079 'channel':652 'chat':419 'check':567,623,689,752,809,867,943,999 'checkpoint':1009 'choos':555 'clarifi':535,844 'clariti':340,539 'clean':135 'clear':37,56,391,734 'coach':252,1165,1193 'collabor':234,243 'comm':11,638,1116 'common':609,1198 'communic':39,60,125,201,345,445,606,1259 'compani':178,194,223 'compensation/title':186 'complaint':1265 'concret':335 'confidentiality/pii':356 'confirm':619 'consist':915 'constraint':353,430,553 'context':65,126,426,531,563,588 'contribut':505,900,951 'convers':256 'copy/paste':866 'cover':22 'creat':72,158,714,765,896,1044,1086,1138 'crisi':217 'crisp':908 'cross':232,241 'cross-funct':231 'cross-functional-collabor':240 'current':303,331,645 'data':402 'date':1285 'day':935 'deadlin':359 'decid':670 'decis':46,55,326,470,602,659,726,759,795,892,941,1108,1218,1255,1357 'decision-mak':1356 'decision/trade-off':465,1112 'default':384,463,736 'defin':544,651,779 'deleg':268,277 'delegating-work':276 'deliver':407 'depend':712,776 'describ':1210 'design':247,636,1159,1191 'desir':338 'detail':378 'differ':634 'direct':290,1170 'discrimin':172 'disengag':1287 'document':1130 'dr':722 'draft':594,615,837,965 'drive':696 'drive-bi':695 'earli':1105 'earn':929 'effect':261,270,1183 'enough':571 'environ':346 'erod':1360 'escal':13,58,136,471,473,479,665,767,780,803,1103,1114,1263,1268 'escalation-as-complaint':1262 'evalu':573 'everi':1267 'exampl':336,746,835,1026,1027,1071,1119,1155 'exec':16,117,458,705,1073,1076,1089 'exec-readi':15,457,704,1088 'expand':518 'expect':491,826,845,1059,1109 'explicit':729,850 'factual':1140 'failur':610,1199 'feel':119,1082 'file':422 'fill':748 'filled-in':747 'final':993 'first':1350 'follow':176,222 'formal':189 'format':1052 'forum':925 'frame':870,913,1107,1266,1321 'friction':332 'full':558,964 'function':233,242 'fyi':792 'gain':1337 'gate':957,1011 'goal':429,568 'goe':642,686 'good':70,309 'guidanc':170,519 'harass':171 'health':216 'help':101,123,145,199,220,823,1037,1157 'high':923 'high-leverag':922 'hr/legal':169,182 'hr/legal/company':1134 'hr/legal/pii':554 'identifi':552,919 'immedi':1002 'implic':630 'in-chat':417 'incent':1257 'incentives/pressures':601 'incid':1141 'includ':514,625,945,1020,1214 'influenc':152,343,494,540,882,932,1331 'influence-without-pre-wir':1330 'info':362 'inform':1229 'input':296,529,586,644,708,774,830,889,963 'instead':1310 'intak':526 'interact':592,1005 'investig':175 'invit':87,930 'involv':181 'issu':669,1104 'iter':961 'keep':1078 'key':1355 'label':392,1247 'ladder':482,789,806 'languag':854 'leader':49,143,476,754,771,800,1286 'leadership':67,91 'least':627,947 'legal':1152 'level':82,325,590,904 'leverag':48,477,807,924 'lightweight':791 'like':311 'list':566 'load':648 'look':310 'loop':506,888 'major':469 'make':69 'maker':1358 'manag':2,6,9,19,29,34,103,291,321,324,386,410,433,437,580,589,597,613,994,1039,1043,1046,1060,1121,1176,1227,1242 'managing-up':1,385 'map':478,688,808,1117 'markdown':416 'mean':547 'measur':570 'meet':351,647,1348 'memo':18,47,466,660,942,1098,1113 'mental':215 'mental-health':214 'metric':600 'micromanag':1251 'mileston':710 'minimum':297 'misalign':94,1074 'mismatch':831 'miss':361,380 'missing-info':360 'mode':611,1200 'multipl':237,286 'must':1319 'narrat':707 'need':133,168,266,280,727,760,1128,1219,1281 'needi':148 'negoti':185 'neutral':1146 'never':1213,1231 'new':1029,1034 'new/stable/strained':330 'next':314,511,980,1004,1024 'note':940 'object':527 'observ':1254 'off':63,130,732 'offer':1136 'one':948 'open':509,978,1022 'oper':388,412,639,996 'opinion':1346 'optim':441,584 'org':587 'outcom':339,537,873,1317 'output':406,562,612,682,742,802,861,931,992 'pace':832 'pace/expectations':92 'pack':8,414,556,559,966,998,1000 'partnership':26 'passwords/tokens':398 'path':78,666 'pattern':1197,1256 'per':953 'perform':190 'person':211,401,878,1238,1246,1327 'perspect':83 'pilot':960,986,1057,1066 'plan':14,137,160,475,500,684,725,769,785,898,933,944,962,1067 'pm':1035 'polici':224 'policy/legal':206 'pov':909,939 'power':327 'pre':502,783,906,917,1333,1352 'pre-brief':916,1351 'pre-read':905 'pre-wir':501,782 'prefer':607,879,1260,1328 'prepar':852 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'retro':989 'rhythm':452 'risk':508,604,711,728,977,1021 'risks/open':1068 'role':300,428,1036 'rule':357 'run':260,968,1182 'running-effect':259,1181 'safeti':212 'say':1304 'schedul':1007 'scope':21,301,557,833,859 'score':972 'script':487,843,864 'seat':74,154,496,884,1339 'seat-at-the-t':495,883 'second':763 'secret':397 'secur':849 'seek':218 'send':1206 'sensit':354,400 'set':35,88,108,228,827,991,1295 'share':938 'short':865 'show':79 'skill':197 'skill-managing-up' 'skimmabl':720 'snapshot':427,564 'sound':147 'source-liqiongyu' 'specif':799,1216,1278 'speed':342,541,875,1325 'sponsor':794 'stage':329 'stakehold':118,287,294,777 'stakeholder-align':293 'start':1032 'status':679,757 'stay':1228 'step':512,524,981,1025,1070 'strateg':504,950 'strategi':207,363,890 'structur':45,449 'style':603 'subset':561 'success':599 'summari':405,1147 'surpris':692,1359 'sustain':876 'system':40,235,257,389,413,640,690,997,1190 'tabl':77,157,499,887,1342 'team':238,894,1077 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