I have been in a position of authority within organisations for many years. I have always reported to a CEO or owner and been responsible for advising on bids and proposals as well as business development, capture, and overall growth. It’s never been easy.
I’ve worked with a wide variety of people in my career. The first thing I try to do when building a relationship, especially with someone I report to, is identify their personal communication style and find out what motivates them. I learned this skill as a proposal manager, leading groups of people that had to work together and collaborate on tight deadlines – and needing them to produce for me!
Most owners or C-level executives tend to be fairly set in their ways and ‘managing up’ is not realistic. But it becomes much easier by identifying why they behave the way they do and their desired outcomes, which helps you learn how to accomplish the required objectives or affect change. When I’ve made the mistake of not building this rapport and not doing this homework, it has almost always led to butting heads, a lack of progress or downright toxicity. While I may clearly see the problems or have ideas I want to implement, trying to change a culture without buy-in equals inevitable failure. Knowing your audience is key.
I always say, “People are very peopley.” They will often defy your expectations for better or worse, and expecting a leopard to change its spots is akin to insanity. So we study. We learn. We collaborate. And we grow.
I strive for improvement over perfection, and I learn something new every day. People will notice if you take the time to get to know them and find ways to get things done together. And then the change comes.
Rebecca Link
Rebecca is a transformational leader, trainer, and orals coach with over 14 years’ experience leading cross-functional teams in proposal management, technical writing, and strategic growth. An advocate for AI innovation, she blends best practice with a passion for team empowerment, driving corporate buy-in and successful outcomes. Rebecca is known for fostering high-performance cultures while supporting aggressive growth initiatives. She is APMP Practitioner certified and committed to elevating standards across the business development lifecycle.
