How to Manage Up at Work (Without Feeling Manipulative)

Unspoken Career Truths · Apr 23, 2026 · 18m · transcript

Ever feel like you’re doing everything right at work and somehow still getting blindsided?

In this episode, Lauren and Cara break down the underrated skill that can change everything: managing up. From meetings that go completely off the rails to the invisible dynamics that shape how decisions actually get made, they unpack what’s really going on behind the scenes.

You’ll learn how to:

Understand what your manager actually cares about (hint: it’s not always what they say)

Communicate in a way that gets heard—and acted on

Avoid the “I thought we were aligned” trap

Set your boss (and yourself)…