Managing upwards is an essential but rarely discussed skill in higher education. Marking my 20th year in the sector, including roles from programme leader to head of school, I've learned that the relationship you have with your manager can shape your career just as much as your own performance. In an environment of shifting priorities, political decision-making and finite resources, here are strategies, some of which have proved most valuable in my own career, alongside others I wish I had used a little more, that can help any academic navigate their relationship with a manager.
They offer practical ways to work effectively with your manager while protecting your time, integrity and academic career trajectory.
1. Know their drivers (you are what they measure)
Every manager has their own set of priorities. In universities, these are often shaped by institutional metrics and performance indicators. Understanding what your manager is measured against, whether that is student satisfaction scores, recruitment targets or research income, gives you insight into what they will focus on and how they will make decisions.
This is not about flattery or manipulation. It is about translation. If you can frame your proposals or updates in a way that speaks to those priorities, you make it easier for your manager to support you. This does not mean abandoning your own goals, it means finding the overlap between what matters to you and what they need to deliver.
When I launched the MSc in digital marketing in 2008, Apple computers were in demand among creative professionals. The faculty that controlled them wanted to cross-charge our department a significant amount for their use. By reviewing the internal budgeting rules, I found that buying each student a laptop would cost less than the cross-billing. I presented this as the more cost-effective option for my head of department, which secured quick approval. It also became a distinctive selling point for the programme and a reminder that performance measures and internal charging systems can produce outcomes that look efficient on paper but make little sense in practice.
2. Bring solutions, not just problems
Managers are often dealing with competing demands and limited time. If you approach them only with problems, you risk being seen as someone who adds to their workload rather than helps reduce it. Instead, bring a suggested way forward alongside the issue you are raising.
The solution does not need to be perfect but it should show that you have considered options. This changes the conversation from “here is a problem for you to fix” to “here is an issue and one way we could address it”.
When I was an associate dean, my dean’s focus was on priorities higher up the university hierarchy. Helping students into work placements was not a traditional concern in a research-orientated institution. Industry demand existed but there was no process to connect students with opportunities. Drawing on my earlier career in software and CRM systems in recruitment, I set up what became the placements office, an internal recruitment agency for students. By presenting a ready-made framework rather than just a gap, it was quickly approved and resourced.
It reinforced for me that in many universities, action depends less on recognising a problem and more on whether someone presents a workable, low-friction solution. Up until very recently, universities have mostly embraced the status quo. Being old and traditional does not automatically make an institution wise, it can just as easily mean it is slow to adapt.
- Spotlight guide: Is your academic career cleared for take off?
- Hone the story of your career to make a case for promotion
- Landing your first lectureship – top five academic career planning tips
3. Let them own the win
In many universities, initiatives gain momentum when they carry a manager’s name. It can be frustrating to see your work re-emerge as a fresh idea from above, but accepting this can be a useful strategy. When a manager feels ownership, they are more likely to champion the idea, secure resources, and ensure it is implemented.
This is not about giving away credit without thought. It is about recognising that influence sometimes matters more than authorship.
On one occasion, a senior colleague was applying for a professorial appointment and needed a presentation but lacked the skills to put one together. I created the slides and materials for them. It is not unusual in academia to write or prepare content that a manager later presents as their own, and sometimes even to have your own ideas sent back to you as if they were new.
You cannot control where credit ends up, but you can decide whether the outcome matters more than the recognition. Quietly enabling a win for your manager can still position you as the person who can make things happen, even if your name never appears on the record.
4. Know the rules better than they do
Institutions run on policies, procedures and regulations. Understanding how universities work gives you an advantage when navigating decisions and requests. It allows you to offer accurate guidance, flag potential issues early and suggest routes that are both effective and compliant.
Much of this is tacit knowledge that can be lost when people move in and out of roles. In my experience, this is more common in research-intensive institutions where senior management posts are often fixed-term. In post-92 institutions, managers have historically been more permanent, giving them more time to learn the systems.
A new manager might be the most senior academic in the room but not necessarily the most experienced in management or university processes. Many have not been through course validation, dealt with quality assurance or spent much time on the education side of their role. Their focus often remains on their own research, leaving them out of their comfort zone when faced with complex educational procedures.
Being the person who knows the rule book and how to apply it can save time, prevent mistakes and keep projects moving. You do not need to use that knowledge to block progress; used well, it can quietly steer decisions in directions that are workable and compliant.
These four strategies focus on understanding the structures, politics and decision-making patterns that shape how managers operate. They are about working with the systems and priorities that already exist, even when those systems seem illogical, slow, or misaligned with your own values. The second half of this series looks at the more personal side of managing upwards; holding your line on integrity, building goodwill and protecting your time without damaging relationships.
Tom Chapman is principal teaching fellow at the University of Southampton.
If you would like advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, sign up for the Campus newsletter.
comment