Episode 465: Managing Up with Melody Wilding

In this compelling episode of The Above the Business podcast, host Bradley Hamner sits down with human behavior professor and executive career coach Melody Wilding to explore the art and science of managing up. Wilding, author of the newly released "Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge," shares research-backed strategies for taking control of your work experience and building stronger relationships with higher-ups at any level of your career.

Melody Wilding is a professor of human behavior at Hunter College and award-winning executive career coach. Recently named one of Insider's "most innovative career coaches," her unique approach combines her background as a therapist and emotions researcher with evidence-based neuroscience and psychology. Her expertise in professional development has been featured in major publications including the Financial Times, CNBC, Harvard Business Review, and Bloomberg News.

The conversation explores how managing up has evolved in today's work environment, including:

• Navigating return-to-office mandates and flexibility conversations.
• Working effectively across generational differences.
• Building relationships in an "always on" work culture.
• Leveraging emotional intelligence in an AI-driven future.

Connect with Melody Wilding

• Book: "Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge" (Crown Currency, March 2025).
• Previous Work: "Trust Yourself".
• Academic Role: Professor of Human Behavior at Hunter College.

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