Managing Up Training

The conversation they need to have. The skills they were never taught.

Programs that teach influence as a learnable, practiceable skill.

Your rising talent knows their work is good. But getting visibility, managing expectations, and influencing senior stakeholders? That's a different skill set entirely - one most people learn the hard way, or never learn at all.
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THE CHALLENGE

The visibility gap

  • High performers who are invisible to senior leadership
  • Talented people who struggle to advocate for themselves
  • Rising leaders who don't know how to set expectations with their managers
  • Frustration when good work doesn't get recognized
  • Avoidable conflicts from misaligned assumptions

Our Solution

Building influence without authority

Managing up isn't politics - it's communication. We help rising leaders understand power dynamics, develop their voice with senior stakeholders, and build the relationships that accelerate careers.

Through scenario practice and real conversation frameworks, participants gain confidence for the moments that matter - asking for what they need, pushing back productively, and making their impact visible.

Tracks

The flight simulator for business skills
Ready-to-run scenario programs for teams

Ready-to-run programs for teams. Practice essential skills through realistic scenarios.

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What’s included

  • Assessment of current upward dynamics
  • Frameworks for influence and advocacy
  • Practice with challenging conversations
  • Strategies for different leadership styles
  • Peer coaching and support structures

What changes

  • Rising talent who can advocate for themselves effectively
  • Better expectation-setting between levels
  • More productive relationships between managers and their teams
  • Less frustration, fewer surprises, clearer communication
  • A pipeline of leaders who know how to navigate the organization
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In practice

See how this approach played out with a real client.

Publicis Groupe

A 120-minute simulation where 150 executives across Publicis practiced stakeholder influence, cross-agency collaboration, and strategic pitching under real-time pressure.

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What they say...

Todd

Hansen

Executive Producer - Web Summit
“Cracking the code of designing engaging learning environments is what these guys understand and deliver”

About Wavetable

We design learning experiences that actually change behavior.

Wavetable is an experiential education studio.

We work with leading organizations to create immersive simulations and scenarios that help teams practice high-stakes situations before they face them in real life.

Our approach combines narrative design, learning science, and deep expertise in leadership development.

Trusted by teams at:
vice
wasserman
amplitude
dig
havas
ey
columbia business school
whalar
sxsw
nyc
the new york times
we
vice
wasserman
amplitude
dig
havas
ey
columbia business school
whalar
sxsw
nyc
the new york times
we

Ready to talk?

Let's explore what's possible for your team.
Book a Call

Related Reading

Deeper thinking on this topic from the Wavetable Magazine