Managing your reporting manager begins with managing yourself, by performing well, and using initiatives. Understand what is important to your reporting manager so that you can help him/ her work well and receive help in return.
It is also crucial to know your reporting manager’s style of working and be clear on how you will communicate with each other. Think about how your reporting manager prefers to receive information and how frequently. Your reporting manager may be happy with a series of quick meetings to address the problems as the need arises. Or your reporting manager may manager better with structured meetings, asking for an agenda in advance. Find out if your reporting manager takes in facts best by listening, or prefers reading. As some reporting manager may like to hear a verbal presentation followed by a report, while some prefer the other way around.