Managing Up

How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge

By: Melody Wilding

Narrated by: Melody Wilding

An indispensable guide to navigating power dynamics, building effective relationships with higher-ups, and earning more authority, freedom, and confidence at work—from one of today’s “most innovative career coaches” (Insider).

“Outstanding. Wilding's scripts and strategies show us a better way to get ahead at work.”—Greg McKeown, New York Times bestselling author of Essentialism and Effortless

Do you feel vulnerable to the whims of your boss, peers, or internal politics, pushing through each day with a nagging undercurrent of anxiety? Maybe you’re micromanaged, interrupted in meetings, saddled with busy work, or overlooked for career opportunities. But what if you could subtly teach those above you to value your ideas and treat you with respect—without ever changing your job title?

Human behavior professor and award-winning executive career coach Melody Wilding has helped thousands of clients advocate for their needs at work while navigating the minefield of office politics. In this clear, tactical guide, Wilding shows you how to operate from a position of power—even if you lack formal authority—to build the emotional intelligence, relational capital, and negotiation savvy to succeed in a world of competing stakeholders and remote work.

Drawing on real-life client stories and the latest research on trust and persuasion, Managing Up distills a vital skillset into ten key conversations, including:

• The Alignment Conversation: How can I get in my boss’s head to understand their needs, motivations, and goals?
• The Styles Conversation: Will I earn more respect from my manager if I get to the point quickly, or should I try swapping stories and building rapport?
• The Boundaries Conversation: How do I say no and push back with tact when my manager saddles me with yet another task?

Packed with time-tested strategies, detailed scripts, and transformative insights, this book is a must-read for professionals of all levels ready to reclaim control of their careers.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF with diagrams and graphics.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 Melody Wilding (P)2025 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This book helps you decode your boss’s behavior and unlock the career success you deserve.”—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive, To Sell Is Human, and The Power of Regret

“Wilding has accomplished something rare and invaluable, combining bigger-picture insight with concrete, practical advice to experiment with.”—Sheila Heen, coauthor of Difficult Conversations and faculty at Harvard Law School

“In this sophisticated yet accessible guide, Wilding transforms what most of us learn through painful trial and error into a clear, research-backed blueprint for taking control of our professional future. She masterfully explains how to thoughtfully navigate those difficult conversations that often define our career trajectory, and turn what can be an anxiety-ridden, transactional relationship with our boss into a true partnership.”—Amy Gallo, cohost of HBR’s Women at Work podcast and author of Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People)

Practical, Engaging, and Worth Multiple Listens

Melody goes through the ten different conversations for managing up using practical tips and stories to convey how to get through each conversation with ease. Her content and her performance kept me engaged. Definitely a book I plan to go over multiple times!