Managing Up & Working with Senior Colleagues

Course Overview

We are privileged to have been given permission by David Maister to deliver his timeless wisdom through an adaptive learning format.

In professional service firms, your relationship with senior colleagues isn't simply hierarchical—it's a negotiated partnership requiring strategic choices. How do you benefit from their experience while maintaining your autonomy? When should you grant influence, and to whom?

This course addresses these fundamental challenges through Maister's insight that "no one can manage you if you don't give them permission to do so." You'll discover why selective permission is essential, how to identify which senior colleagues deserve your "nagging rights", and how to build relationships that advance your development.

Unlike traditional hierarchies, professional services operate on influence rather than authority. Your success depends not on following orders, but on making wise choices about who influences your work and development—and how you contribute value beyond your assignments.

About David Maister

David is widely recognized as the world's leading authority on the management of professional service firms. A former Harvard Business School professor, he spent decades consulting to law firms, consulting companies, accounting firms, and other professional partnerships across six continents before his retirement.

David is the author of several landmark books including Managing the Professional Service Firm, True Professionalism, and The Trusted Advisor (co-authored with Charles Green and Robert Galford). His work has fundamentally shaped how professional services firms understand their economics, culture, and client relationships.

Key Learning Outcomes

The Paradox of Professional Autonomy

• Apply Maister's framework for granting permission selectively to the right people
• Distinguish between surrendering judgment and accepting valuable guidance
• Implement the concept of "nagging rights" to create productive mentoring relationships

The Demanding-Supportive Balance

• Identify senior colleagues who balance high standards with genuine support
• Create conditions that enable productive feedback and development
• Signal your readiness for challenge while expecting appropriate guidance

Building Credibility

• Establish unquestionable reliability as your foundation for influence
• Deliver value beyond compliance through anticipation and solution-orientation
• Handle limitations and mistakes with professionalism that builds rather than erodes trust

Strategic Relationship Choices

• Focus relationship-building energy on the "right people" for your development goals
• Develop depth with key seniors rather than superficial connections with many
• Navigate competing demands transparently when working with multiple senior colleagues

Contributing Beyond Assignments

• Implement Maister's philosophy that "it's amazing what you can achieve if you're not wedded to who gets the credit"
• Take initiative on process improvements that benefit the team and firm
• Build your reputation through knowledge sharing and supporting others' success

Managing Difficult Situations

• Navigate relationships with seniors who provide contradictory guidance or insufficient support
• Set appropriate boundaries while maintaining professionalism
• Build alternative relationships when primary mentoring connections fall short

Why This Course Matters

Your technical competence opens doors. Your client skills build business. But your ability to manage relationships with senior colleagues determines your development trajectory and long-term success.

Maister's research shows that professionals who strategically manage these relationships advance faster and achieve more than those who simply focus on technical work or try to please everyone indiscriminately.

• The relationships you build with seniors now may span your entire career
• Your reputation for reliability and contribution follows you for decade
• The patterns you establish early become your professional character

When you apply Maister's principles, you'll create something increasingly rare: the ability to maintain professional autonomy while benefiting fully from senior guidance, contributing beyond your formal role, and building a network of relationships that compound in value throughout your career.

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