We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Manager of Managers_Leading Up, Down and Out

In this course, you'll learn how to project executive presence, tailor your leadership approach across hierarchical levels, and tell compelling stories that highlight your value and strategic contribution. You'll explore practical tools like the Influence Matrix and narrative frameworks to gain traction upward, downward, and laterally—especially when authority alone isn't enough.

Through concise videos, real-world case studies, interactive hands-on activities, and Coach-supported reflection, you'll develop the presence, messaging, and influence skills needed to lead through others and earn appreciation for the impact you create.

Enroll now

Or subscribe to Coursera Plus

And get unlimited access to Coursera

Here's a deal for you

Save money when you learn with a deal that may be relevant to this course.

All coupon codes, vouchers, and discounts are applied automatically unless otherwise noted.

Valid until March 12, 2027

Save 40% Off 3 Months

Access thousands of top-rated learning programs with a Coursera Plus monthly subscription and take 40% off 3 months for a limited time.

What's inside

Syllabus

Leadership isn't linear—it flows in all directions. This lesson teaches learners how to lead upward (to senior execs), downward (to teams), and outward (to peers and partners). It explores how to shift tone, message framing, and strategy based on the audience’s needs, power dynamics, and expectations.

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.

Save

Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for Manager of Managers_Leading Up, Down and Out . These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

Career center

Learners who complete Manager of Managers_Leading Up, Down and Out will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Chief of Staff

A Chief of Staff serves as a strategic partner to senior executives, managing complex initiatives, facilitating communication, and ensuring organizational alignment. The role of Chief of Staff demands exceptional executive presence and the ability to influence without direct authority across all organizational levels. This course profoundly supports this need by focusing on leading up, down, and out, tailoring leadership approaches across hierarchical levels. Lessons like cultivating executive presence and strategic storytelling empower learners to project authority authentically, build trust, and communicate impact compellingly, which are fundamental for aligning stakeholders and acting as a trusted advisor in high-stakes environments.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chief of Staff

Investor Relations Manager

An Investor Relations Manager serves as the primary liaison between a public company and its investors, conveying financial performance, strategic direction, and corporate news. An Investor Relations Manager consistently engages with a critical external audience, making the course's insights into strategic storytelling and making impact known exceptionally relevant. Cultivating executive presence is vital for trust-building and projecting authority, especially when communicating financial performance and strategic direction to investors and analysts. This course is a strong fit for enhancing influence and communication in high-stakes environments, directly supporting the need to tell compelling stories that move audiences to understand, align, and invest. This role often requires an advanced degree.

See salaries and explore the career path for Investor Relations Manager

Senior Leader Development Specialist

A Senior Leader Development Specialist designs and implements programs to cultivate leadership capabilities within an organization, focusing on high-potential or existing senior-level managers. This course directly addresses the core competencies such professionals aim to foster. It enhances understanding of how to elevate leadership visibility, influence, and strategic communication, which are critical areas for senior leaders. By exploring topics like cultivating executive presence, leading in 360 degrees, and strategic storytelling and reporting, the course provides practical tools and frameworks. Learners will develop the presence, messaging, and influence skills necessary to lead through others and achieve impact, skills a specialist would want to instill.

See salaries and explore the career path for Senior Leader Development Specialist

Director of Strategic Communications

A Director of Strategic Communications crafts and executes comprehensive communication strategies to shape perceptions and build reputation for an organization or its senior leadership. This course is exceptionally pertinent for a Director of Strategic Communications, as it directly addresses the art of making impact known through strategic narratives. The lessons on framing team impact and linking work to business outcomes are vital for crafting compelling messages that resonate with diverse audiences. Cultivating executive presence, as taught in this course, also enhances the ability to project authority and build trust, which is critical when presenting high-stakes communications and influencing stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Director of Strategic Communications

Corporate Affairs Director

A Corporate Affairs Director is responsible for managing an organization's reputation, public relations, and stakeholder engagement strategies across various internal and external groups. This course is highly relevant for a Corporate Affairs Director, as it delves deeply into shaping perceptions and communicating impact effectively. The lessons on strategic storytelling and reporting, specifically crafting strategic narratives and linking work to business outcomes, are central to this role. Cultivating executive presence, as taught in this course, is also crucial for building trust and projecting authority when engaging with media, investors, and other high-stakes stakeholders, thereby enhancing influence and visibility.

See salaries and explore the career path for Corporate Affairs Director

Organizational Change Manager

An Organizational Change Manager guides organizations through significant transitions, ensuring smooth adoption of new processes, technologies, or strategies. Influence without direct authority, as highlighted in this course, is paramount for an Organizational Change Manager. The course content on leading in 360 degrees—upward to senior executives, downward to teams, and outward to peers—is essential for aligning diverse stakeholders. Lessons on strategic storytelling and reporting help frame the necessity and benefits of change, while cultivating executive presence supports trust-building and reinforces leadership perception, vital for navigating resistance and driving successful adoption.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Change Manager

Executive Coach

An Executive Coach partners with leaders to enhance their professional performance, focusing on areas like communication, influence, leadership style, and strategic decision-making. This course is particularly valuable for an Executive Coach, as its modules directly cover the foundational elements of effective leadership. By exploring cultivating executive presence, leading in 360 degrees, and strategic storytelling, the course provides frameworks for understanding and guiding leaders. An Executive Coach can leverage this comprehensive understanding of how to project authority, build trust, and communicate impact to better support clients in elevating their leadership visibility and influence. This role typically requires an advanced degree or significant experience.

See salaries and explore the career path for Executive Coach

Vice President of Operations

A Vice President of Operations oversees the efficiency and effectiveness of an organization's operational functions, managing multiple departmental leaders and contributing to strategic planning. This course is highly relevant for a Vice President of Operations, who must lead through other managers and influence across all organizational levels. The emphasis on leading in 360 degrees, tailoring leadership approaches based on audience needs, and cultivating executive presence directly supports the multifaceted demands of this executive role. Strategic storytelling to communicate operational impact and link it to business outcomes is also crucial for gaining appreciation and securing investment in operational improvements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Vice President of Operations

Head of Department

A Head of Department oversees multiple teams, often led by managers, and is responsible for their strategic direction, performance, and alignment with overall organizational goals. This course is highly relevant for a Head of Department, who must master leading both direct reports and influencing across all hierarchical levels. The focus on leading up, down, and out, by shifting tone, message framing, and strategy based on audience needs, is crucial for effectively managing an entire department. Furthermore, cultivating executive presence and utilizing strategic storytelling to communicate team impact and link work to business outcomes directly supports the visibility and appreciation needed to excel in this senior leadership role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Head of Department

Management Consultant

A Management Consultant advises organizations on improving performance, solving problems, and achieving strategic goals across various industries and functions. This course is highly beneficial for a Management Consultant, who must consistently command the room and influence clients and internal teams across all organizational levels. The course's focus on cultivating executive presence, leading in 360 degrees, and strategic storytelling empowers consultants to build trust, project authority, and articulate complex solutions compellingly. These skills are fundamental for gaining traction with clients, aligning stakeholders, and driving the adoption of recommendations, especially when authority alone is insufficient. This role typically requires an advanced degree.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Program Director

A Program Director oversees the successful execution of multiple, interconnected projects, often requiring coordination across various departments and influencing diverse stakeholders. This course may be helpful for a Program Director who frequently needs to gain traction and align stakeholders across the organization, especially when direct authority is limited. The course's insights into leading in 360 degrees—upward, downward, and outward—are relevant for navigating complex program environments. Cultivating executive presence and employing strategic storytelling to communicate program impact and secure understanding and investment from key audiences can enhance a Program Director's ability to drive multi-faceted initiatives.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Director

Head of People Operations

A Head of People Operations leads strategic human resources initiatives, focusing on talent management, organizational development, and fostering a high-performance culture. This course may be useful for a Head of People Operations as it addresses the critical need to influence across all organizational levels regarding people strategies. Lessons on leading up, down, and out can help in aligning leadership, managers, and employees with HR initiatives. Cultivating executive presence and employing strategic storytelling to communicate the impact of people programs and link them to business outcomes can enhance a Head of People Operations' ability to build trust and gain appreciation for their contributions. This role often requires an advanced degree.

See salaries and explore the career path for Head of People Operations

Senior Project Manager

A Senior Project Manager is responsible for leading complex projects, often involving cross-functional teams and numerous stakeholders, ensuring delivery on time and within budget. This course may be useful for a Senior Project Manager, who must frequently influence team members, stakeholders, and senior leadership without relying solely on direct authority. The emphasis on leading in 360 degrees—upward, downward, and outward—can help in navigating project complexities. Strategic storytelling to frame team impact and link project work to business outcomes, as discussed in the course, may also aid a Senior Project Manager in communicating progress and securing continued buy-in and investment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Senior Project Manager

Practice Lead

A Practice Lead manages a team of professionals within a specific domain, guiding their technical and professional development, and representing the practice's capabilities. This course may be helpful for a Practice Lead who needs to effectively lead their team (downward), collaborate with peers and partners (outward), and advocate for their practice's value to senior leadership (upward). The course's emphasis on leading in 360 degrees and cultivating executive presence can enhance a Practice Lead's ability to project authority and build trust. Strategic storytelling, as taught, can also assist in communicating the team's impact and securing resources or buy-in.

See salaries and explore the career path for Practice Lead

Product Lead

A Product Lead guides the strategy, development, and launch of products, often requiring influence over diverse cross-functional teams without direct managerial authority. This course may be useful for a Product Lead who frequently needs to influence engineering, design, and marketing teams to align on product vision and execution. The course's insights into leading in 360 degrees and crafting strategic narratives to move audiences to understand and invest can help a Product Lead articulate product value and secure buy-in across the organization. Cultivating executive presence can also assist in projecting authority and building trust with diverse stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Lead

Reading list

We haven't picked any books for this reading list yet.

Switch

Save

While not specifically focused on leadership, this book offers valuable insights into the psychology of change and provides practical strategies for overcoming resistance and driving successful transformations.

Manager of Managers_Leading Up, Down and Out

Here's a deal for you

What's inside

Syllabus

Save this course

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses

Coursera Buyer Protection & Guarantee

7-Day Free Trial & Free Audit

14-Day Refund Guarantee

Verified Academic & Industry Partner