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Bringing Up The Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers
Managing is hard. Managing for the first time is even harder.
A new start-up comes on the scene filled with a team of talented people. The start-up grows, the team expands, and those early joiners all of a sudden are responsible for leading a team. Just a few years prior, these folks were barely able to figure out their own roles in their crazy, ever-changing company. Now, as managers, they are expected—often without any direction or role models—to know how to develop,
coach, structure projects, review, and set expectations for a whole bunch of new, incredible people.
First-timers want to quickly learn what it takes to be a successful manager—like they learned how to code, how to design, how to sell—and put those learnings into practice. But what does it mean to
manage, and how do you teach someone to be a good manager?
Enter Rachel Pacheco, an expert at helping start-ups solve their management and culture challenges. Pacheco, a former chief people officer and founding team executive at multiple start-ups, conducts research on management and works with CEOs and their managers to build the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly scaling organization.
In Bringing Up the Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers, Pacheco shares these skills, along with cutting-edge research, data, anecdotes, how-to exercises, and more, to help overwhelmed employees become expert managers.
A new start-up comes on the scene filled with a team of talented people. The start-up grows, the team expands, and those early joiners all of a sudden are responsible for leading a team. Just a few years prior, these folks were barely able to figure out their own roles in their crazy, ever-changing company. Now, as managers, they are expected—often without any direction or role models—to know how to develop,
coach, structure projects, review, and set expectations for a whole bunch of new, incredible people.
First-timers want to quickly learn what it takes to be a successful manager—like they learned how to code, how to design, how to sell—and put those learnings into practice. But what does it mean to
manage, and how do you teach someone to be a good manager?
Enter Rachel Pacheco, an expert at helping start-ups solve their management and culture challenges. Pacheco, a former chief people officer and founding team executive at multiple start-ups, conducts research on management and works with CEOs and their managers to build the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly scaling organization.
In Bringing Up the Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers, Pacheco shares these skills, along with cutting-edge research, data, anecdotes, how-to exercises, and more, to help overwhelmed employees become expert managers.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published August 10, 2021
167 people are currently reading
1869 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 28, 2021
My work sponsored this author as a speaker and I diligently read the book. Probably the first business type book I’ve ever read and I found it extremely helpful and informative. Easy to read during a commute and instantly applicable.
November 2, 2021
As a new manager who was provided with ZERO training or mentorship, I found this book incredibly useful. It tackles everything from motivating your employees (and yourself) to handling uncomfortable or tough situations (including if you find yourself having to "manage" your friends) to even "managing up" (aka handling your boss). Pacheco explains each topic in a few different ways and often includes tables, graphs or even cartoons to help explain, which made it easier to digest.
August 19, 2021
This book took me longer to read than most books. Why? Because you can't just keep reading. You need to dissect what you are reading.
Bringing Up The Boss is the perfect book for me to read since I'm heading towards a management position.
The author gave some amazing pointers but everything about managing yourself and working on you is what stuck out to me the most. You can't manage others if you don't work on yourself. Just wow and so beyond true.
If you are a manager or going to be one, read this book.
Bringing Up The Boss is the perfect book for me to read since I'm heading towards a management position.
The author gave some amazing pointers but everything about managing yourself and working on you is what stuck out to me the most. You can't manage others if you don't work on yourself. Just wow and so beyond true.
If you are a manager or going to be one, read this book.
January 30, 2024
Really great book for new managers. I especially appreciated the section on managing up, which caused me to reflect on how I could be a better partner to my own boss. Will definitely re-read and keep as a resource.
November 15, 2022
The most applicable and straight forward book on managing I’ve ever read. I felt so seen. Will be following all her advice as a new manager!
June 25, 2022
What an excellent book and playbook about how to manage. I feel like all new and existing managers needs to read this book. It’s funny it took me so long to finish the book up until I bought it in Audible. I guess I’m more of a “ristener” (reading by listening) than a reader of hard copies when I was younger. That said, I am also glad I have a hard copy to reference as I get to these tricky situations.
So much great information about how to set clear and precise expectations, upwardly manage your boss with confidence and downwardly manage your direct reports with vulnerability, how to hire and fire someone, how to create effective performance improvement plans, and so many more things. Working for a leadership development company, it is interesting to me that we don’t focus on this kind of work. In the end, I believe the middle managers create the most impact in the organization direct managing those that do the grunt work of the company.
So much great information about how to set clear and precise expectations, upwardly manage your boss with confidence and downwardly manage your direct reports with vulnerability, how to hire and fire someone, how to create effective performance improvement plans, and so many more things. Working for a leadership development company, it is interesting to me that we don’t focus on this kind of work. In the end, I believe the middle managers create the most impact in the organization direct managing those that do the grunt work of the company.
July 25, 2021
When you write a book from your heart and soul, bring value to every page and share the knowledge that other may apply, this is what you hold on your hands. This book has a great strict and a well balanced practical advice combined with theory of management. It can be recommended to any manager from a well established company to a start up. I have learned a lot of wisdom from this book.
September 6, 2021
Note: I read the hardcover edition.
This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 9/5, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. What does it mean to manage, and how do you teach someone to be a good manager? I work at an Amazon Fulfillment Center, where many managers are hired right after leaving the armed forces. In the military, command and control rules. But here, as Pacheco says, understanding human nature and leading with empathy are what inspire teams to meet goals. "Bringing Up the Boss" is a must-read for those making the transition.
Find more Business Books of the week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more recommended books on my Amazon Influencer page at https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747 or by searching for me on Google.
This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 9/5, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. What does it mean to manage, and how do you teach someone to be a good manager? I work at an Amazon Fulfillment Center, where many managers are hired right after leaving the armed forces. In the military, command and control rules. But here, as Pacheco says, understanding human nature and leading with empathy are what inspire teams to meet goals. "Bringing Up the Boss" is a must-read for those making the transition.
Find more Business Books of the week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more recommended books on my Amazon Influencer page at https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747 or by searching for me on Google.
January 11, 2022
Useful frameworks and management strategies delivered in a highly actionable package, if you can get over the infantilizing writing style.
July 28, 2023
I rarely take detailed notes, but since I did this time, I decided I would share them with you. The greatest weakness in this book, and other management books, in my opinion, is that it only alludes to virtue
Practices are the center of the program. Pacheco says management is fundamentally about people, but then she goes on to give a whole bunch of practices to do.
I believe virtue (i.e. love, integrity, diligence etc.) is far more important than practices picked up through experience and business literature.
Notes:
We're making decisions about a role or task ask:
1. What is the objective or main goal
2. What does good look like
3. What is the best timing
4. What are examples
Tough conversations for feedback that lead to growth where the team member is more motivated afterward is good management
1. Start with data/observation
2. Share impact of their behavior
3. Allow space for conversation and questions
4. Give actionable steps to change
Feedback ideas:
1. Feedback by asking everyone to give one thing they think could be done better
2. Ask each member how they prefer to receive feedback-and tell them it will come often
3. Ask for one way you can support them-ask this weekly
Motivation in management:
1. Know the motivational needs of your team
2. Praise and positive feedback sometimes are better than money
3. Don't pay people for the things they do out of love - manipulation much?
Managers today need to help team members find meaning & fulfillment in work
Questions to ask to find meaning
1. What four adjectives would you like people to describe you with
2. What in your now makes you happy
3. What is something you want but can't seem to get
4.What is something you learned this year
5. If your biggest barrier to your work was gone, how would it change things
5 Factors that make work meaningful
1. Skill variety
2. Task significance
3. Task identity
4. Autonomy
5. Feedback
Reframe day-to-day tasks
Leading an Effective Team:
Common knowledge effect
--Discussing what everyone already knows
Raising the white flag
--Not sharing your thoughts-apathy
--This happens because team members feel that they don't have the same expertise as a leader in the group
--Feeling pressure to conform to majority opinions
Solution to white flag:
--Appoint someone to be a contrarian for a meeting--they need to disagree when everyone agrees and try to find problems with it
Managers should speak last
Deal with conflict:
1. Relational conflict (differing views about life)
2. Task conflict (differing views about a task)
3. Process conflict (differing views about process)
Develop norms and routines
1. Be on the same page about how things are done
2. Write down the norms and routines for your team
--If it's fine for team members to show up late, write it down. If it's not okay, write it down. Team members want clear expectations.
Manage yourself
"Say I don't know" when you don't know.
Relational managing vs. task managing
Management is fundamentally about people
B. Grizenko
Practices are the center of the program. Pacheco says management is fundamentally about people, but then she goes on to give a whole bunch of practices to do.
I believe virtue (i.e. love, integrity, diligence etc.) is far more important than practices picked up through experience and business literature.
Notes:
We're making decisions about a role or task ask:
1. What is the objective or main goal
2. What does good look like
3. What is the best timing
4. What are examples
Tough conversations for feedback that lead to growth where the team member is more motivated afterward is good management
1. Start with data/observation
2. Share impact of their behavior
3. Allow space for conversation and questions
4. Give actionable steps to change
Feedback ideas:
1. Feedback by asking everyone to give one thing they think could be done better
2. Ask each member how they prefer to receive feedback-and tell them it will come often
3. Ask for one way you can support them-ask this weekly
Motivation in management:
1. Know the motivational needs of your team
2. Praise and positive feedback sometimes are better than money
3. Don't pay people for the things they do out of love - manipulation much?
Managers today need to help team members find meaning & fulfillment in work
Questions to ask to find meaning
1. What four adjectives would you like people to describe you with
2. What in your now makes you happy
3. What is something you want but can't seem to get
4.What is something you learned this year
5. If your biggest barrier to your work was gone, how would it change things
5 Factors that make work meaningful
1. Skill variety
2. Task significance
3. Task identity
4. Autonomy
5. Feedback
Reframe day-to-day tasks
Leading an Effective Team:
Common knowledge effect
--Discussing what everyone already knows
Raising the white flag
--Not sharing your thoughts-apathy
--This happens because team members feel that they don't have the same expertise as a leader in the group
--Feeling pressure to conform to majority opinions
Solution to white flag:
--Appoint someone to be a contrarian for a meeting--they need to disagree when everyone agrees and try to find problems with it
Managers should speak last
Deal with conflict:
1. Relational conflict (differing views about life)
2. Task conflict (differing views about a task)
3. Process conflict (differing views about process)
Develop norms and routines
1. Be on the same page about how things are done
2. Write down the norms and routines for your team
--If it's fine for team members to show up late, write it down. If it's not okay, write it down. Team members want clear expectations.
Manage yourself
"Say I don't know" when you don't know.
Relational managing vs. task managing
Management is fundamentally about people
B. Grizenko
October 1, 2022
I checked out five or six management books from the library (after winnowing down an even longer book list online) and I liked this book so much I needed to buy it. My role at work has recently expanded to include people-management (not just program management!) and I wanted to be thoughtful about that transition.
I loved how many practical, apply-immediately tips this book included, not to mention an entire appendix filled with checklists, matrices, interviewing questions, and so forth. It's a really practical and insightful book for new managers.
The only critique I can offer is that it seems to be geared for authors in small companies or start-ups whereas I work in a very established organization and field. That being said, I didn't think the slant towards start-ups was an issue -- I just had to "translate" a few things to think how they might work within my own organization.
Highly recommended for new people managers!
I loved how many practical, apply-immediately tips this book included, not to mention an entire appendix filled with checklists, matrices, interviewing questions, and so forth. It's a really practical and insightful book for new managers.
The only critique I can offer is that it seems to be geared for authors in small companies or start-ups whereas I work in a very established organization and field. That being said, I didn't think the slant towards start-ups was an issue -- I just had to "translate" a few things to think how they might work within my own organization.
Highly recommended for new people managers!
August 14, 2022
Excellent book on key managerial questions that would help a novice and existing managers. I really wish I had this book 5+ years ago when I started as a manager. The breadth it covers is pretty substantial and helps you get started in pretty much all the key areas where a manager would need help. I was surprised to find answers to questions I had struggled with and had found them painstakingly. This book would have made it much easier for me. Because of the breadth, it lacks depth which is intentional and anyone could then find areas where they would want to go deeper and find other sources. Some of the other books I've read on new managers are either quite abstract or cover certain areas ignoring others. This covers pretty much the whole gamut of people management. I'd highly recommend this book!
April 10, 2023
This book is actionable and gives concrete examples. I do *not* believe this book has all the answers and will be the only management book that I read, but it is a start.
Since I was in a hurry, I bought the audio book to read (listen) the book faster. But as soon as I heard there was an appendix, I also ordered a hard copy of this book. In my opinion the hard copy is more valuable because of the appendix and a few tables that just don't get presented well in spoken text.
Since I was in a hurry, I bought the audio book to read (listen) the book faster. But as soon as I heard there was an appendix, I also ordered a hard copy of this book. In my opinion the hard copy is more valuable because of the appendix and a few tables that just don't get presented well in spoken text.
February 4, 2022
As a new and growing manager, this book helped illustrate common scenarios I've already encountered, or may in the future. A step further, it offers real, actionable solutions with worksheets. The insights go beyond just rethinking our behavior with employees, but how we may take action to promote a healthy working community.
January 6, 2025
Really useful guide for new managers (ok so I started it when I was new, and here we are 2 years later...). I really like the practicality and nuggets of wisdom you can actually apply. Although the writing style as a little cringey, for lack of a better word, I would recommend this to any new manager or even seasoned managers looking for some additional guidance!
December 30, 2025
Отлична книга за нови мениджери. Дадена е есенцията за основни дейности - управление на членовете на екипа, на екипа като цяло, както и "самоуправление". След нея, всеки може да задълбочи в детайли по всяка тема (комбинирано с намирането на ментор би довело до чудесни резултати в професионалното развитие).
Успех с четенето!
Успех с четенето!
January 11, 2023
Comprehensive and opinionated advice that doesn't simply repeat managerial platitudes. It's slightly more focused on startups, so not all the advice is applicable to manger roles in more established companies. This will be one I go back to.
June 7, 2023
Lots of good advice but it's geared a lot toward start up like stuff and brings up a few things that I would consider HR topics and responsibilities and out of the scop of a book for new managers in general.
September 27, 2024
"Don't love something that can't love you back." Anyone who manages people, administrators at a school, or teaches students will benefit from this book. You'll enjoy your job more because when you understand it.
June 13, 2025
Providing clear expectations, giving helpful and structured feedback, supporting our staff with individual development plans, crafting and personalizing the jobs on our team...I found this book exceptionally helpful and fully practical. A big thanks to Prof. Pacheco!
August 31, 2021
The great book for understand role manager
September 3, 2021
This book was very informative. I learned a lot and got some important insights. It had practical lesson for new managers and great tips for success.
January 26, 2022
Great basics for a new-to-the-role manager or ambitious individual contributors exploring their next step.
March 10, 2022
Easy fast read, succinct, and full of helpful advices in delightful stories.
June 30, 2022
The best, most helpful book on management I’ve read so far! It gave me tremendous support as a new team lead and opened my eyes for valuable insights! Highly recommend!
August 30, 2022
Some amazing insights for anyone managing people!!! Highly recommend!
July 27, 2025
Had to read this for work, I don’t read nonfiction very often but I did enjoy this.
September 27, 2021
Somewhat helpful to those curious about how managers think and clearly geared toward younger people, but the author seems to have worked mostly at start-ups and smaller companies.
A little presumptuous about what people want (not everyone wants to be "promoted," let alone become a manager) and presents management as the only available option to employees who are competent and have enough work experience.
While I realize the author isn't out of the ordinary in this, I also question taking the words of someone who thinks they get to tell another adult how to live their lives ("this is what you need to do to get promoted") and who feels comfortable judging other human beings and having their opinion directly responsible for someone's worth as a human being (while employees can theoretically give their boss feedback, it's not like they get to give an actual performance review and decide how much bonus the boss gets to take home this time).
A little presumptuous about what people want (not everyone wants to be "promoted," let alone become a manager) and presents management as the only available option to employees who are competent and have enough work experience.
While I realize the author isn't out of the ordinary in this, I also question taking the words of someone who thinks they get to tell another adult how to live their lives ("this is what you need to do to get promoted") and who feels comfortable judging other human beings and having their opinion directly responsible for someone's worth as a human being (while employees can theoretically give their boss feedback, it's not like they get to give an actual performance review and decide how much bonus the boss gets to take home this time).
December 26, 2022
Touches on the philosophical but gives very actionable insight for new managers.
February 22, 2023
This is the book about management that I've been looking for. I loved listening to it, and will buy a hard copy as soon as I'm able to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews