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Oct 22, 2026 6 min

Managing Up Without Sucking Up

from Skip Level

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Free worksheet for this episode: https://crayonleadership.com/podcast/skip-level/managing-up/ Managing up isn't sucking up — it's one of the most promotable skills there is. Maya and Marcus break down how to create value for your boss without losing yourself: learn their operating system, bring solutions not problems, and make them look good upward (no surprises). Adapting to your boss's communication style makes you 70% more effective. Alex's story — the senior manager with a vague big-picture boss who started sending a Friday 5-bullet update, turning him into her biggest advocate. Maya and Marcus are AI voices, created with text-to-speech. This show is written and produced by Joe Dutkiewicz of Crayon Leadership. Joe equips mid-senior leaders to think and act two levels up, so they're recognizable to top leaders and ready for the promotion before it opens. Find Joe on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Facebook, and at the Crayon Leadership website.

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Managing Up Without Sucking Up

0:00 6:58

Chapters

  1. 0:00 Managing up = sucking up?
  2. 0:41 Creating value, not flattery
  3. 1:22 Speak their language: 70% more effective
  4. 2:12 Two ways to get it wrong
  5. 2:41 Learn, solve, elevate
  6. 4:23 Alex: five bullets every Friday
  7. 5:26 Four steps to manage up well
  8. 6:27 Closing Thought

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How long is this episode of Skip Level?

This episode is 6 minutes long.

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This episode was published on October 22, 2026.

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