Latest / The Internal Move Podcast with Fexingo: Lateral Roles, Internal Transfers, and Staying at Your Company / How an Internal Transfer Can Help You Manage Your Manager Upward
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot on this show about how an internal transfer can change your role, your team, your visibility. But there's one relationship that gets totally reset that we haven't really dug into — and that's the relationship with your manager. Luna: And not just any reset — a fresh start with a new boss who doesn't carry the baggage of your past performance or your old habits. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a huge deal because so much of workplace frustration comes down to a mismatch in communication style or expectation with your direct manager. An internal transfer lets you hit the reset button on that dynamic. And today I want to talk about something we call 'managing up' — but specifically, how the strategy changes when you're doing it with a new manager inside the same company. Luna: I love this angle. Because most advice on managing up assumes you've been with the same boss for years. But what about when you walk into a new role and you have to figure out your new manager from scratch? Lucas: Right. And you have the advantage of knowing the company culture, but the disadvantage of not knowing this person's idiosyncrasies. So let me give you a concrete example. I talked to a marketing manager at a large consumer goods company — we'll call her Sarah. She transferred from a brand manager role where her boss was a classic micromanager: wanted daily status updates, cc'd on every email, signed off on every creative brief. Luna: The kind of boss who makes you feel like you can't breathe. Lucas: Exactly. So Sarah transferred to a new role in the innovation group — same company, different division. Her new boss was the complete opposite: a hands-off executive who said 'I trust you, just tell me if something's on fire.' And Sarah's instinct was to keep sending daily updates, flagging every small decision — because that's what she'd been conditioned to do. And it was actually annoying her new boss. Luna: That's the trap. You bring the old managing-up style into a new relationship where it doesn't fit. Lucas: Right. So she had to consciously unlearn the micromanager-pleasing habits and learn a new set. She started asking in their first one-on-one: 'What does too much communication look like to you? When should I escalate versus just handle it?' And her new boss said: 'If it's not going to affect revenue or a deadline, you decide. If it is, give me a heads-up 48 hours before.' Luna: That's a specific calibration. And it's totally different from what she was used to. Lucas: Totally. So the first lesson of managing up after an internal transfer is: don't assume your old template works. You have to actively diagnose your new manager's preferences. There's a framework I like called the '30-60-90 day plan for managing up.' The first 30 days are about information-gathering: what does your boss value — speed, accuracy, collaboration, independence? The next 30 days are about testing: you try a communication cadence and see if they adjust it. And the last 30 days are about locking in a rhythm that feels natural for both of you. Luna: And I think the key insight is that you're not a blank slate. You know the company's norms, you know the org chart, you might even know their reputation. But you don't know their day-to-day quirks. So you have to be a detective first. Lucas: Exactly. Sarah told me that in her first week, she asked her new boss's assistant: 'How does he prefer to receive information — email, Slack, in-person?' And the assistant said: 'He never reads long emails. He likes a two-bullet summary on Slack, and if it's important, he'll ask for a meeting.' That's gold. You can get that intel from peers or assistants without ever asking the boss directly. Luna: That's a great hack. Because the boss might not even articulate their own preferences clearly. But their behaviour is observable. Lucas: Right. So the second lesson is: over-communicate until you calibrate. In the first two weeks, Sarah sent a brief end of week summary — three bullet points — and asked: 'Is this level of detail helpful, or would you prefer more/less?' That's a low-stakes way to get feedback. Her new boss said: 'Perfect. Keep it this short.' And she knew she was on the right track. Luna: And the third lesson I'd add is about expectations. When you start a new role internally, you have a honeymoon period. Use it to set explicit expectations about your working style, your availability, your decision-making authority. Don't wait for the boss to define it. Lucas: That's a great point. Sarah actually told her new boss in their first meeting: 'In my previous role, I was used to getting sign-off on creative assets. For this role, I'd like to own the final decision on anything under $10,000 budget. Does that work for you?' And he said yes. She defined the boundary proactively. Luna: And that's a classic managing-up move: you frame it as a way to save the boss's time, not as a power grab. Lucas: Precisely. So let's talk about the fourth lesson, which is about handling the inevitable moments when you misread your new manager. Because it will happen. Sarah told me that in week three, she made a decision that she thought was within her authority — a vendor selection — and her boss gently said: 'Next time, loop me in before you sign the contract.' Luna: And how did she handle that? Lucas: She didn't get defensive. She said: 'Got it. For future vendor contracts, I'll send you a summary of the top two options and get your input before I sign. Is that the right threshold?' And he agreed. So she turned a mistake into a clearer boundary. Luna: That's the mature response. Because if you get defensive, you poison the well. The transfer gives you a clean slate — don't ruin it by being rigid. Lucas: Yeah. And that leads to the fifth lesson, which is about building trust through delivery. In the first 90 days, your new manager is watching for reliability. Can you do what you say you'll do? If you over-promise and under-deliver, you'll quickly lose the autonomy you just gained. Sarah focused on delivering three quick wins in her first month — small projects she could complete ahead of schedule — to build that trust reservoir. Luna: So the overarching theme is: an internal transfer lets you redesign your relationship with authority. You're not stuck with the dynamic you inherited. You can actively shape it. Lucas: Exactly. And I think that's the hidden superpower of an internal move that we don't talk about enough. People focus on the new skills, the new network, the new title. But the chance to reset how you manage upward — that can change your entire experience of work. Luna: And it's not just about escaping a bad manager. It's about finding a manager who fits your growth stage. Maybe you needed a micromanager early in your career, but now you want autonomy. An internal transfer lets you make that switch. Lucas: Right. And the beauty is, you're not starting from zero. You already know how the company works — the systems, the culture, the informal power structures. So you can focus all your energy on calibrating to one person instead of learning a whole new organization. Luna: Before we wrap, I want to circle back to something we mentioned a few episodes ago. We deliberately don't run ads on these episodes — no sponsors, no interruptions. If that kind of ad-free, focused content is valuable to you, and you want to support it, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just an option for those who find this useful. Lucas: Yeah, we appreciate anyone who chips in. It helps us keep doing deep dives like this one. And now back to the topic — I want to leave listeners with one concrete takeaway. If you're considering an internal transfer, or if you've just made one, spend your first week being a detective about your new manager. Ask three people who work with them: 'What's the best way to communicate with them? What do they hate? What's their pet peeve?' That intel is worth its weight in gold. Luna: And don't be afraid to ask your new boss directly: 'How can I make your life easier?' That question alone can unlock everything. Lucas: Exactly. Managing up after a transfer is a skill, not a personality trait. You can learn it. And you've got a rare opportunity to start fresh. Use it.