
Negotiate Anything Dealing With Difficult Bosses? Here’s How to Flip the Power Dynamic
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May 6, 2026 Dave, host of Coaching for Leaders and leadership coach who runs the Coaching for Leaders Academy, joins to rethink managing up. He reframes bosses as customers and shares scripts to address micromanagement. Conversations focus on turning venting into learning, handling toxic behavior, navigating remote dynamics, and reclaiming power at work.
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Reframe Your Boss As Your Customer
- Managing up is not about changing your boss but about serving your boss as your most important customer to help them achieve organizational results.
- Dave urges shifting mindset to ask how your boss is measured and align your influence to save them time, meet targets, or improve clarity for the team.
Start With Curious, Business-Focused Questions
- Use a learning conversation: state what you notice, show the business impact, then ask a curious question about solutions.
- Example script: "One thing I'm noticing is... which costs us X; what might we do to provide more clarity?".
Carve Out Time Online For Tough Conversations
- In remote work, intentionally create the space to raise issues by asking for two minutes after a meeting or a quick offline chat.
- Bring the same learning mindset: note what you saw, the impact, then ask how you can help provide clarity.








