Aren't Bosses Supposed to Manage You? A Qualitative Examination of Managing Your Boss

The concept of managing your boss (“MYB”) is gaining increasing attention among subordinates and the popular press; however, the academy to date has offered little insight into this phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to establish a process model and theory of MYB that contributes both theoretically and practically to the management skill of MYB. Using 33 middle manager interviews that incorporated 130 unique subordinate-boss dyads, we examined how subordinates manage their boss, how they figure out how to do it, and what the consequences of MYB are. Our results showed that MYB is a surprisingly complex process, with a myriad of possible tactics (including communication, non-communication, and deceptive tactics), approaches to learning how to best do it (such as getting advice from others, asking the boss, observing and listening to the boss, and trial and error), and both positive (including being more effective and efficient, having a more enjoyable job, greater career success, and developing a better relationship with the boss) and negative personal consequences for doing it well (such as inefficiency and peer jealousy). This study not only provides a roadmap and checklist that employees can apply when managing their boss; it also provides researchers a framework for additional research studies on the topic.