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15 principles for managing up
When your boss loves you, you have options. Here's how to help your manager get what they need, so you get what you want.
Oct 25, 2023
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Wes Kao
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Start right before you get eaten by the bear
How to avoid backstory scope creep
Oct 4, 2023
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The unspoken skill of finesse
What finesse looks like, why it matters, and how to develop it for yourself and your team
Apr 24, 2024
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Take 3 minutes to delete these words and improve your writing forever
Before you hit “send,” delete these words from your writing. Your message will be stronger for it.
Jun 18, 2025
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Wes Kao
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Rigorous thinking: No lazy thinking
The best managers teach their team how to think strategically. Here's how to a build culture of good decision-making and thoughtful debate.
Nov 1, 2023
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Most Popular
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How to give a senior leader feedback (without getting fired)
Nov 20, 2024
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Why high performers make assertions: The difference between insights, suggestions, and assertions
Apr 30, 2025
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How to be concise
Aug 7, 2024
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How I give the right amount of context (in any situation)
Jun 5, 2024
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Latest
Top
Discussions
My top posts [bookmark this]
My most popular posts by category, including on managing up, presenting to leadership, sharing your point of view, and more.
Sep 16
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The rise of the end-to-end operator
End-to-end operators have vision, can develop a strategy, and can execute to bring their ideas to life.
Sep 2
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Turn bugs into features
When you turn bugs into features, the things you thought you were errors, constraints, liabilities about your product, could actually become selling…
Aug 19
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Before you delegate, ask yourself these 6 questions
These questions will help your coworkers get set up for success. They're helpful if you are delegating to AI, too.
Aug 5
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Defensible, but not good
An idea can seem reasonable on the surface, but still not be the right decision. Ask yourself, “This is defensible. But is it good?”
Jul 22
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In job interviews, keep your backstory short
Use the STAR method, but avoid backstory scope creep.
Jul 8
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Wes Kao
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What being "inspiring" actually means
You are not Viggo Mortensen rallying men to fight Sauron. You are a knowledge worker in tech. Here's what it means to inspire in this context.
Jun 24
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[Fundamentals] How to share your point of view (even if you’re afraid of being wrong)
Sharing your point of view is one of the best ways to add value. So why do so many high performers hold back? Here's how to overcome this mental block…
Jun 10
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EQ is not just about what you say. It’s your body language too.
Understand your "tells," send the right signals, and other ways to reinforce your message.
May 27
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Wes Kao
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Wes Kao's Newsletter
A bi-weekly newsletter on managing up, executive communication, and standing out as a high-performer. Written by an a16z-backed founder.
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