How to Manage Up (A Game Changer)
Tech, localization, and global strategy - decoded.
Lesson number one: Don’t be this guy
I still remember my first job in tech. It was a startup: fast-paced, high pressure, and full of possibility. I was one of the only women on the team, and I reported into a group of all-male leaders who were about my age. At the time, I thought the best way to succeed was to focus on doing exactly what I was asked and doing it really well.
And I did. I was efficient, reliable, detail-oriented. I hit my deadlines. I made things work.
But for a while, that effort didn’t translate into influence. I didn’t have a seat at the table in strategic conversations. I wasn’t being asked what I thought we should be doing, just how fast we could get it done. I had creative ideas and wasn’t sure how to move them forward.
The turning point came when I realized that I needed to shift the view of my work from being reactive to being proactive. I needed to create visibility for what I was doing, instead of waiting for people to see it. I needed to show the impact of what I was doing instead of waiting for it to surface in a meeting or executive presentation. I needed to start connecting the dots, not just between tasks, but between my work and the broader goals of the company. I started asking: How does this project actually move the needle? Who needs to understand the impact we’re having? How can I share that in a way that resonates?
Once I made that shift, tying my work to what the company cared about and learning how to tell the story, everything changed. Not just in that job (though yes, it led to promotions). But also in future interviews, in performance reviews, and in building lasting credibility across teams.
This is what managing up, and managing higher is really about! And if you’re not doing it yet, I promise: it’s a game changer.
Great Work Isn’t Always Obvious
I’m guessing you are already doing excellent work: thoughtful, strategic, and high-impact. Especially if you are in localization. Localization enables growth, and we see more and more that most tech growth comes from non English speaking markets. But in most companies, especially large or matrixed ones, doing good, high impact work is not always enough. Visibility isn’t automatic. Recognition isn’t guaranteed. And the deeper you go into foundational or infrastructure work, the easier it is for your efforts to fade into the background. It’s so frustrating when the new product feature gets all the attention and your foundation work doesn’t. Sigh.
Localization example:
Say you built a workflow that reduced translation review time by 40 percent. Huge win. But if that isn’t framed in a way that shows how it enables faster product launches in new markets, and shared with the people who care about those launches, it may never get the attention it deserves.
This is why managing up, and out, and across, matters.You want to help others see the connection between what you do and what the business needs.
Be Intentional About Your Work (and How You Share It)
Managing up well starts with clarity. You need to know what you’re working on, why it matters, and how to position it in a way that resonates.
Keep a brag doc
This is the first thing I recommend. I know I know, you’re like, ummm that sound really pretentious. But it isn’t about ego it’s about memory and momentum. If you asked me to talk about a project I worked on 6 months ago I could give you a high level overview, but I might not be able to say how many users it impacted, or how many words were processed etc. This is why I always keep a running list of my contributions, decisions, collaborations, and outcomes. And I make sure to include both the big wins and the quiet ones.
Read this guide to creating a brag doc by Julie Evans
Bragging (or humble bragging) doesn’t have to look like this
Product example:
Include that time you got early alignment across three engineering teams on how to integrate localization testing into CI/CD. That probably saved weeks of future back-and-forth… but it’s the kind of success that’s easy to forget if it’s not written down. Later, you can point to it as an example of cross-functional influence and systems thinking.
Align with leadership priorities
When you can, choose projects that support your manager’s or skip level’s goals. Ask yourself: What matters to them right now?
Localization example:
If your skip level is focused on improving mobile performance in emerging markets, and you’re choosing between several projects, prioritize the one that audits and optimizes string length and character encoding issues that affect layout on smaller devices. You’ll be solving real user problems and showing that you’re tuned into what leadership cares about.
Know your narrative
Your work isn’t a to-do list. It’s part of a larger story. Frame it in terms of what problem you’re solving, who it impacts, and how it fits into your organization’s bigger picture.
Internal tooling example:
Instead of saying:
“We’re switching translation vendors.”
Try:
“We’re consolidating vendors to improve MT quality consistency and reduce per-word costs by 20 percent, which supports our Q3 goal of lowering operational overhead.”
Each update becomes an opportunity to reinforce that you’re operating with intent and clarity.
Talking About Your Work Isn’t Bragging
This part can feel uncomfortable, especially for women and anyone from underrepresented groups in tech. We’re often taught that humility is a strength (it is!), and posting or talking about our work is flashy or pretentious (it isn’t!).
But in reality, sharing your work clearly and thoughtfully is part of your job.
Localization example:
Maybe you helped launch a new feature in 12 languages, but also advocated for inclusive language and gender options in the UI. That’s the kind of behind-the-scenes product stewardship that can get missed unless you talk about it… in retros, in planning docs, or even in a quick "What went well" post in your team Slack.
Want help with this part? Here is my super quick guide to start growing this skill:
1) Watch this TedTalk on the power of storytelling.
2) Write a free form paragraph about a project you recently worked on. Then put it into Claude or Chatgpt and ask what data points would be good to include when you share this out. See if you can get any of the data suggested.
3) Ask Claude or Chatgpt to help you create:
A pitch deck about the work.
A slack post or quick email sharing the work in a fun way
Here are the prompts I would use:
Pitch deck: “Here is a paragraph about a recent project I worked on. I am trying to improve my storytelling skills and the visibility of my work at my company to show my impact. Can you help me create a pitch deck for this project?”
Slack post: “Here is a paragraph about a recent project I worked on. I am trying to improve my storytelling skills and the visibility of my work at my company to show my impact. Can you help me craft a slack post to share with my team that highlights why this project is important, the impact it makes and what I did to help us get there?”
Now read through both and see how AI arranged the information in a way that clearly highlights the work, the milestones and why it’s important.
Now, I recommend setting a goal of sharing about a project you are working on at LEAST once a quarter, although I would shoot for once a month. It doesn’t have to be a big presentation, it can be a quick update in slack or an email! Now stick with it, this is how you build visibility over time.
Managing “Higher” Without Overstepping
But what about making sure people above your manager know what you do? This isn’t about bypassing your manager or promoting yourself in every meeting. It’s about creating intentional visibility, and helping your work show up in the rooms where decisions are made.
Here’s what this could look like:
Offer to share a short update in a cross-functional working group your skip level attends
Share out a crisp update in a channel where your stakeholders hang out
Ask your manager, “Would it be helpful for X to see this?” and offer a one-paragraph summary they can forward
Product example:
Let’s say you’re rolling out a new internal platform that centralizes localization workflows. Your VP of Engineering doesn’t need a weekly progress report, but they do want to know if it’s unblocking launch teams and reducing duplicated effort across tools. A well-timed update with that framing helps build trust and momentum, and can often lead to increased support or resourcing.
Quick recap: The Gentle Power of Managing Up
Managing up isn’t about being flashy or constantly promoting yourself. It’s about being thoughtful, intentional, and clear. It’s how you make sure your work speaks for itself, and how you help people notice what you’re contributing.
Here’s the highlights:
Know what you’re working on, and why it matters
When you can, pick projects that line up with what your manager or skip level cares about
Keep a brag doc (yes, really you’ll forget stuff otherwise)
Share your work in terms of what changed or improved because of it
Learn how to tell the story of your work in a way that clicks with others
And make sure the right people see what you’re doing
What’s Next?
Here are my plans for the next two posts, and if there’s something you really want me to share about, PLEASE don’t be shy and let me know in the comments or in a message!
June 23: What are they talking about: Part 2 of Technical Vocabulary Basics - testing and release vocabulary
June 30: How I use AI as a Localization Product Manager + Tools I recommend