The Problem Isn't Convincing Your Manager
It's convincing the manager of your manager of your manager.
The bigger the distance on the org chart, the further you are removed from their world.
The further you are removed from their world, the worse your understanding of their motives and what they care about.
The worse your understanding of their motivates and what they care about, the more you will struggle to influence them.
Influencing is not about what you care about. It's about what they care about.
Sometimes it’s not even about what they care about, but they’re part of a broken system that limits their degrees of freedom.
And if you can't influence them directly, all you can rely on is a game of telephone from manager to manager to manager.
And if you ever played the game of telephone as a kid, you know how unreliable it is for accurately conveying a message.
Care about their world. Don't only begin caring when you want them to care about yours.
Then you’re already too late.
Reassuring to hear this, since I've been worried about this too and have been putting extra time to corral my direct leaders to act as my advocates up their chain. I don't know how successful I am though, as the only thing in my control is to present as best as possible to the immediate level above me and, if I'm sufficiently convincing, the level above that.
Relate to this in my current work situation. It’s definitely a great reminder.