Great points. One of the major roles of effective managers is to provide context on what they need to do, such that you can identify what you need to help solve

Great points. One of the major roles of effective managers is to provide context on what they need to do, such that you can identify what you need to help solve their problems. If they don't provide this context, "managing up" is effectively soliciting this context such that you can help them do their job. At the end of the day they just want their problems solved, and if you can do this for them - with or without them - all the better.