Latest / Interview Prep with Fexingo: Behavioral Questions, Case Studies, and Hiring Manager Insights / How to Answer the Tell Me About a Time You Managed Up Question
Transcript
- Lucas: So you're in an interview and the hiring manager asks, 'Tell me about a time you had to manage up' — and you freeze, because 'manage up' sounds like something you'd get fired for. Luna: Right. It can feel like a trick question. Are they testing whether you'll undermine your boss? Lucas: Exactly. But actually, it's one of the most practical questions you can get. Every organization has some form of hierarchy, and the ability to influence upward — tactfully — is a huge signal of emotional intelligence and strategic thinking. Luna: So what are they really looking for? Let's define 'managing up' first. Lucas: Good call. Managing up is not about telling your boss what to do. It's about proactively communicating, anticipating needs, and offering solutions in a way that makes your boss's job easier and your team more effective. Think of it as leading from wherever you sit. Luna: And the interview question tests whether you can do that without being aggressive or passive. Lucas: Right. So let's talk about structure. Use the STAR method — situation, task, action, result — but with a twist. For managing up, the 'action' part needs to highlight your communication, timing, and respect for hierarchy. Luna: Can you give us a concrete example? I think listeners learn best from a real story. Lucas: Sure. Let's say you're a marketing manager at a Fortune 500 company. Your VP of marketing wants to launch a campaign that you know from data won't resonate with the target audience. The situation: you have a tight deadline, the VP is very senior and set in their approach. Luna: Tricky. How do you push back without being seen as difficult? Lucas: You frame it as curiosity. You say, 'I'd love to make sure we hit our targets. I pulled some data from last year's similar campaign — would it be helpful if I share a few insights before we finalize the creative?' That's managing up. You're not saying 'you're wrong.' You're saying 'I want us to succeed, here's data.' Luna: So the action is about framing and timing. Not just what you say, but when and how. Lucas: Exactly. In that real example, the marketing manager scheduled a 15-minute check-in before the final review. She presented a one-page summary with three data points and a recommendation. The VP appreciated it, adjusted the campaign, and it outperformed by 20 percent. Luna: And that becomes the result in your STAR story. So what about a different scenario — say you're a software engineer and your manager is constantly changing requirements? Lucas: Great example. The situation: your manager has a habit of adding new features mid-sprint, derailing the team. The task: you need to protect the team's focus without ignoring the manager's requests. Luna: What's the managing-up action there? Lucas: You set up a lightweight process. After a sprint planning, you say, 'I noticed we've had some last-minute changes. Would it help if we did a quick mid-sprint check-in on Tuesdays to evaluate new requests against our current capacity? That way we can decide together what to prioritize.' Luna: So you're offering a solution, not complaining. Lucas: Exactly. The result: fewer disruptions, the manager feels heard, and the team delivers on time. That's a textbook managing-up story. Luna: What are the common pitfalls when answering this question? I can think of a few. Lucas: Number one: making your boss look bad. If your story is 'my boss was incompetent and I had to fix everything,' you sound arrogant and disloyal. The interviewer thinks, 'If you talk about your current boss that way, you'll talk about us that way.' Luna: Yeah, that's a red flag. Another pitfall: being too passive. If your story is just 'I did what I was told,' that's not managing up. Lucas: Right. The sweet spot is being proactive but respectful. Show that you considered the bigger picture and communicated in a way that made your boss successful. Luna: So what's a good one-sentence framework listeners can remember? Lucas: I like this: 'When I saw, I, which led to.' Keep it concise and focused on results. Luna: And practice it out loud. It sounds simple but it's easy to ramble. Lucas: Absolutely. Now, if this episode helped you think through a career move or interview strategy, I want to mention something small. We keep Interview Prep ad-free, and that's thanks to listeners who support the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, it's just a simple way to say 'this was worth a coffee.' No pressure, but if today's episode saved you some prep time, that link is there. We really appreciate it. Lucas: Okay, back to managing up. One more thing I want to emphasize: the best managing-up stories often involve a moment of vulnerability. You didn't know how to approach the situation, but you figured it out. Luna: Can you give an example of that? Lucas: Sure. A junior analyst once told me she was intimidated by her director. She needed his approval on a report, but he kept delaying. Instead of nagging, she sent a brief email saying, 'I want to make sure this meets your expectations. I've scheduled 10 minutes tomorrow to walk through the key findings — if that doesn't work, I'm happy to reschedule.' Luna: That's great. She took control without being pushy. Lucas: And the director appreciated the structure. The result: faster approvals and a reputation for being proactive. Luna: So the takeaway for listeners: prepare a managing-up story that shows respect, initiative, and a concrete outcome. Lucas: Exactly. And if you're not sure where to start, think of a time you gave your boss a heads-up about a potential issue, or suggested a process improvement that saved everyone time. Those are gold. Luna: And don't forget to practice it using the STAR format. We'll put a quick recap on the show notes. Lucas: Good idea. Thanks for listening, and good luck with your interviews.