It’s not who you know, but who knows you

𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀.

And the most important relationship at work?

• Not your mentor.

• Not your favourite colleague.

• Not even the senior leader who occasionally champions you.

It’s your boss.

𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰.

Your boss shapes what you work on, who sees your contributions, and whether you are positioned for growth—or quietly overlooked.

𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵

Many professionals believe their efforts will speak for themselves.

“I’ll just focus on doing a good job.”

“I don’t want to get into politics.”

“I’m not here to impress anyone—I just want to do my work.”

These are reasonable perspectives.

Especially if you value results, integrity, and staying grounded.

But hard work alone rarely shifts your career trajectory.

Not because it isn’t valuable, but because 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

Decisions about promotions, high-impact projects, or progression are not made in isolation.

They’re shaped by 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁, and 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

And that starts with how you manage the relationship with the person who sees your work most closely—your boss.

Managing up isn’t flattery.

It’s alignment.

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀.

What they are trying to achieve.

What pressures they’re under.

What success looks like for them—and how you can contribute to it.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

It means becoming valuable in the areas that count.

Managing up is strategic, not performative.

It’s about building mutual trust, clear expectations, and forward momentum.

The professionals who do this well don’t just survive.

They thrive.

They think beyond the task in front of them.

They ask better questions.

They connect the dots.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀’𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿—𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.

And over time, they become more than reliable team members.

They become trusted partners.

The ones their leaders rely on in moments that matter.

So here’s the real question:

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽?

Not just on paper.

Not just when things go wrong.

But consistently—strategically—proactively.

Because whether we like it or not, your relationship with your boss can be a defining factor in your career.

That choice begins with how you choose to engage.

-Natalie

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝟮 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲:

1.⁠ ⁠𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 : Our next cohort is tentatively scheduled for July 2025. If you’re interested to get the guidance, insight, clarity, accountability and support to be in the driver's seat of your life, DM me.

2.⁠ ⁠𝟭:𝟭 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: I work with a highly select group of senior leaders to help them create the success and happiness they want in their careers and personal lives. This program is currently full, DM me if you’re interested to take one of our last 2 openings for May.

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