Melody Wilding: Managing Up

Melody Wilding is an executive and leadership coach for smart, sensitive high-achievers who are tired of getting in their own way. She teaches human behavior at Hunter College and is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Business Insider, who named her one of the “most innovative coaches.” She is the author of Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge*.

Good work speaks for itself. It’s a lie many of us have wished was true, but found that there’s actually much more work involved. In this conversation, Melody and I discuss what really helps in creating more visibility.

Key Points

• Good work does not speak for itself.
• Our fear of appearing self-promotional can hinder the visibility conversations that our leaders and team need from us.
• A story will be told about your work. By having stories that you are ready to tell, you get to shape the narrative.
• Instead of listing what you’ve done, highlight what you want to be known for.
• Give visibility to work that is important to your team, puts you in contact with stakeholders, and impacts that bottom line.
• Always have a 3-step pocket update at the ready. Share a (1) project, (2) detail, and (3) result.
• Capitalize on casual conversation. Say yes to the right invitations and be the person that keeps the relationship going.

Resources Mentioned

• Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge* by Melody Wilding

Interview Notes

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Related Episodes

• Get Noticed Without Selling Out, with Laura Huang (episode 480)
• How to Start Finding Useful Stories, with David Hutchens (episode 593)
• Getting Better at Internal Communication, with Roy Schwartz (episode 687)

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