Customer Reviews

Managing Up: How to Forge an Effective Relationship With Those Above You

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

"Managing Up" amounts to a practical and entertaining survival guide for those who find themselves somewhere on the food chain to the south of the lion kings of the corporate jungle. The author draws on her fifteen years as executive assistant to the legendary Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, to offer valuable insights, advice, and common sense perspective on what it takes to keep the boss happy, maximally productive, and hugely successful. Despite her admiration for Welch, Rosanne Badowski makes a compelling case for the vitally important role played by "support staff" in keeping business enterprises functioning smoothly. In fact, by the end of the book, it was clear to me that a considerable portion of the Jack Welch mystique was the product of the hard work, long hours and dedication that Badowski brought to the job. How do you run a massive operation like GE and spend almost every weekend on the golf course? You find a Rosanne, that's how. And what made "Ro" run? She says it's all about the pride and passion of being part of a winning team. But there is another P-word -- process. The Welch-Badowski team combined Jack's leadership genius with Rosanne's incredible talent for driving a relentless process that kept the CEO on top of things. "Managing Up" gives readers a good look at that process and at the rewards that come from hard work and doing one's best no matter who gets lionized.

This is a must-read, fabulous and fun (quick to read) book. I've never read such a straightforward and insightful look into the specific daily routine, style, and approach of a top executive. From her invaluable list on page 114 (how to prepare Jack so he was effective in meetings) to Chapter 11 on simplicity and how the annual calendar shaped Jack's routine, I picked up so many practical tips. And if you only read four pages, read pp. 156 - 159. I personally enjoyed the insider stories behind the Kidder Peabody mess and how Jack handles adversity (hint, he doesn't spend one minute looking in the past), to what Jack emotional felt when he had to let an executive go. You just don't get these kinds of insights anyplace else.

...which explains her success as a partner with Jack Welch.

Ro has hit the nail on the head here. It's not really about keeping his favorite yogurt on tap or catering to his needs, it's about removing the obstacles and the minutiae so that the leadership can lead instead of wasting time on those things that can be done by others. It's more about being a true partner than it is about being a sterotypical assistant.

My take on this book is that although written by an assistant, it is applicable to anyone who has a boss and who wants to be a solution instead of just an employee. Many people take issue with being asked to handle things that they deem are "personal" for thier boss. That conversation is a waste of time and will be a deciding factor on how high you will go in your career. Make no mistake, for leaders of large organizations, there is no distinction between a personal and a work life. They are one. So, Ro really points out that being a solution for Jack sometimes meant that she had to make sure those "personal" things were managed to completion by someone other than Jack. That freed Jack up to take care of business.

Pre-managing your boss is a great way to bring speed to the entire organization. Ro stated early on that she was a creator of time. That is one of the most powerful offers that one can make to their boss and their organization. Time is the most precious asset that many of us claim to not have enough of. By ensuring that Jack didn't have to sweat the small stuff and sift through unneccessary crap, she was able to create the time for Jack to become the leader he is and to bring more prosperity to the organization and the people who support it. Be it personal or business, she handled it.

Observe also, that while many may think of Rosanne Badowski as just an assistant who wrote a book, she obviously has enough insight and leadership skills of her own to be the assistant of one of the most powerful CEO's for 14 years and...she wrote a book about it. I am also quite sure that she has enjoyed some prosperity as a result of her success with Jack.

After seeing Rosanne interviewed on the Today Show, I bought a copy for my wife who was working for an entrepreneur at the time, and one for my own administrative assistant. Neither of them, I think, finished the book so I figured that I might as well read it.

The most insight Badowski gives is that leadership does not flow always flow from the top down; rather, it can flow up the management ladder and lateral as well. If we define leadership in terms of influence rather than position this makes sense. The relationship between the executive and his subordinates should be one of mutual encouragement. Do not get me wrong here- I am not talking about the warm fuzzy feelings of New Age pop psychology, but of the blunt reality that my success in life, business and ministry depends on those above me, below me and along side me being successful. Rosanne simply states what should be oblivious to anyone- if we work for the success of those around us we too will succeed.

Yes, the book was full of insights and information on how to forge effective working relationships, but I have to come back to the observation I made in my first paragraph- my wife and secretary did not complete reading this book. I think they were expecting more of a textbook on how to be a effective administrative assistant. Much of the book, however, dealt with the history and corporate culture of Jack Welch and GE. Although I was fascinated by it, they found these parts irrelevant.

This is the reminiscence of a famous CEO's secretary, but it is better than you might expect. Jack Welch's former executive assistant and now author Rosanne Badowski spins anecdotes nicely. She also provides some possibly inadvertent grains of salt to season everything else you may have read about her boss. However, the idea that her warmly chatty observations can generate a respectable book is a tribute to the power of his legend - and her entertaining recollections. The image of a CEO whose secretary has to go through his trash to keep track of what he's been doing is very revealing. So is the idea of a secretary going behind her super-boss like Mommy behind a toddler, turning off faucets he can't be bothered to shut for himself. Welch acknowledges in the forewordthat he was a difficult, sometimes aggravating boss. He says Badowski, "lived and breathed work," and he praises her "loyalty, discretion and forgiveness" and well as her long hours, the care she took with confidential information and her talent for dealing with those who seek it. Badowski pulls few punches, so you may well agree with Welch's self-assessment after you read her book. However, Welch was also, on occasion, a brilliant manager, and Badowski became a strong one, too. We find that her up-close viewpoint includes some useful managerial insights and just enough gossip to keep your batteries charged.

This book is a quick read albeit not a very interesting one. The primary message I got from this book is that the author was completely enamored with Jack Welch and had totally devoted a good majority of her life to serving him while apparently sacrificing all her personal time. What she described as her sense of humor was a little offbeat and certainly not professional. The potential for a good story is there, it just never hits the mark

You wouldn't know this book was about managing up had you not looked at the title of the book.

This book is more of long drawn out story of her working for Jack Welch and how awesome he was (in her mind) and less about managing up to advance your career.

Save yourself the money and don't buy this book.

I was disappointed in the scope of this book. I was looking for something about how to manage upwards on the organization chart--manager to manager. Unfortunately, this book takes a very narrow view and seems to be solely about how a secretary manages her boss. Did not meet my need. I'm sure this is great for that part of the population who just wants to manage from an administrative perspective to the manager. But I didn't want to waste my time on it.

I enjoyed the book. Quite simply it was good reading from someone who has been in the "trenches." (If you consider the corporate offices at GE the trenches). However, I was hoping that a Secretary to someone as powerful as Jack Welch would have more insight for those of us who are trying to reach the upper echelons. I think Rosanne's second book should be more in line with empowerment of Secretaries and a little less of the "Jack-ster." If you are in a position such as hers, the job is not about him - it is about being the best at what you do.

This book is a nice tool, but there is nothing really like actually getting out there and making yourself known to those above you. I think the book misses the mark on some key points, and experience is key. If you really want to learn how to forge an effective relationship with those above you in the corporate world, you need to show that you are Relevant, Ready and Recommitted to making the most out of your current position.