bcManagingUpwardDecember1998Copyright©1998Bain&Company,Inc.JacinthaPeerisAuthor:Contributor:DiannaMagnani2ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSAgenda•UnderstandingtheCTL’sRole•KeySuccessFactors•TakingaProactiveApproach•KeyTakeaways3ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSCTLvs.VPRoleTheCTL’sjobistorunthecaseonaday-to-daybasis.TheVP’sjobistoguidetheoverallrelationshipwiththeclientandtostepinatcriticaltimestoensuretheclient’ssuccess.•Topofanalyticpyramid•Overallanswer/implications;assigningwork•Day-to-dayclientissues•Day-to-dayPD•Topofclientpyramid•Overallanswer/implications•Overallcauseatclient•Exceptional(upordown)performanceissuesCTLRoleVPRole4ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSMutualDependenceTherelationshipbetweenaVPandaCTLisoneofmutualdependence.•Information•Analysis/output•Insights•Proactiveapproachtowork•Commitment•Dependability•Trust,honesty,andopencommunication•Feedbackandcoaching•Informationontheclientandtheindustry•Priorities•Resources•InfluencewithclientandwithinBain•Increasingresponsibilities,challengingwork•Trust,honesty,andopencommunicationWhatYourSupervisorNeedsfromYouWhatYouNeedfromYourSupervisor5ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSMutualSuccessTheCTL’ssuccesswilldependinpartonhis/herVP’ssuccess.•YourVPmustsucceedifyouaretosucceed•YourVPwillwantyoutosucceed(aslongasyouwanthim/hertosucceed)•YourcurrentVPhasmoreinputintoyourcareerthananyoneelse(morethanyoulastVP,theseniormanagementofthefirm,theclient,andformerorcurrentteammembers)6ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSCTLObjectivesHelpYourVPWinMakeYourVPRedundantandAsaCTL,yourobjectivesaretwofold:7ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSAgenda•UnderstandingtheCTL’sRole•KeySuccessFactors•TakingaProactiveApproach•KeyTakeaways8ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSKeySuccessFactorsVPscitefourkeysuccessfactorsformanagingupward.•Assumefullresponsibilityfordrivingthevalueadditionprocess•FindtherightrolefortheVP•CollaboratewiththeVPtoimprovetheoutput•Communicateprogressandissuesinaclearandstructuredway9ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSDrivetheValueAddition(1of2)Thebestwayforacaseteamleadertocontrolacaseistodrivethevalueadditionprocess.•“Idon’texpectmyteamleaderstobeoutaheadofmeintermsofintellectualleadership,yetIdowantthemtocontinuouslyidentifythebroadsetofissuestobeaddressedandexplicitlytesttheirimportance.”•Thinkaboutthebigpicture.•“IfIwritetheworkplan,it’sboundtobemorerobustandcovernon-criticalpathissues,becauseIwon’tputthethoughtintofocusingit.”•Developahypothesisandaworkplantotestit.Don’texpect(orlet)theVPdoit.•“CaseteamleadersseemtothinkthatIhavealltheanswers.I’dlikethemtocometomeandtellmewhatshouldbedone.”•“Searchoutfeedbackfromthemanager/VP,butdrivetheprocessyourself.”CommentsfromVPsStrategies10ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSDrivetheValueAddition(2of2)•“Whengivenanassignment,CTLsmistakenlytakeitasacommandment,insteadofasking,‘Howdoesitaddvalue?’or‘Whyarewedoingthis?’”•Filteroutbadideasandprioritizegoodones.•“Caseteamleaderssay‘yes’toeverything,evenstupid‘creative’ideas.”•“TheCTLneedstokeepinmindwhat’spossible.IfIaskfortoomuch,he/sheshouldbecreativeinprioritizingandredefiningworktogettotheanswerefficiently.”•“Don’tknowinglyovercommit-youareinabetterpositiontoassesswhatisdoable.”CommentsfromVPsStrategies11ManagingUpwardbcManagingUpwardBOSFindtheRightRo...
