As an Engineering Manager I've found two simple tools can help with almost all of the items mentioned here: brag docs and one-on-ones. Brag docs help you, the

As an Engineering Manager I've found two simple tools can help with almost all of the items mentioned here: brag docs and one-on-ones. Brag docs help you, the IC remember what you did all year and your manager at review time. The keys are the right level of detail, capturing the soft stuff that doesn't get recorded anywhere else and the discipline to keep it current. If anyone else has had to spend a day or more 2x a year getting their performance reviews done, the commitment of 10-15 minutes every week or so is an easy sell. If your manager hasn't butchered your 1:1s, turning them into status updates (and you actually have them scheduled) many of the other points listed are great topics for discussion. I love it when someone on my team asks a specific question about promotions or upcoming work opportunities or something we both experienced. I rarely have the answer but always get it and follow up. It makes me feel good to be helping the individual (and the team) and we're actively building a relationship on respect and caring. I don't see these activities as the typically negative "managing up". Taking active responsibility for yourself and your team is a good strategy. I look for motives when people act, and these all tell me the person cares about themselves, about other and wants everyone to get better.