cover image Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship with Those Above You

Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship with Those Above You

Rosanne Badowski. Broadway Business, $23.95 (240pp) ISBN 978-0-385-50772-1

The business book market is jammed with books for bosses, telling them how to manage, lead, create corporate strategy and get more from employees. Badowski's tome takes a different approach, but is just as useful: it's meant for all workers, regardless of their position. Because, as she wisely points out, everyone has a boss. Badowski, who has the distinction of being Jack Welch's former executive assistant, here explains how she survived and thrived during her 14-plus years as the boss man's""secret weapon."" She's written a snappy little guide, mixing anecdotes with clear-cut tips on how to partner with higher-ups. She advises readers to""make the agenda of the person you work for your own"" and asserts that""individuals solve problems--not senior management."" Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to have had such a celebrated corporate leader as his or her boss. But if workers can follow Badowski's advice, they may find ways to win over crabby supervisors--or at least strengthen their relationships with other colleagues.