D2: Managing up
Use when: Aligning with your boss and raising risk without friction.
The questions
- What are your top priorities right now, and how do you define success for my role?
- How do you prefer updates: cadence, format, and level of detail?
- Which decisions do you want me to make independently, and which should I bring with options and a recommendation?
- What pressures or constraints are you balancing that would help me make better trade-offs?
- If I disagree or see risk, what's the best way to raise it, and what evidence do you want?
Research basis
Rousmaniere 2015; Wood 2023; Schein 2013; Gallo 2024; Edmondson 1999
Get the full field guide
The complete PDF covers 24 situations, 153 questions, and the four listening moves (reflect, summarize, validate, clarify). Download The Questions Leaders Ask field guide.
Workshop
Want your leaders practicing these out loud, with their team in the room? See how Kestryl Edge workshops work.