Managing Up: How Executive Assistants Shape Executive Decision Making

What if some of the most influential people in an organization aren't the ones making the final decision? Drawing on his research into executive assistants and his experience designing leadership development for the FDIC, Dr. Basil Read explains how influence flows through conversations, priorities, timing, and access—not just organizational charts. The discussion explores why organizations make better decisions when influence isn't confined to people with formal authority.

Basil Read is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, consultant, and Professor of Practice in Troy University's PhD in Global Leadership program. He designed a leadership development curriculum for employees at every level of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), helping transform the agency from the bottom to the top of employee satisfaction rankings. His research examines how executive assistants shape executive and board decisions through communication, prioritization, and gatekeeping.

You'll learn:

• What managing up really means—and why it's a critical skill for executive assistants and emerging leaders 
• How executive assistants influence executive and board decision making without formal authority 
• Why the FDIC trained every employee—not just managers—and what other organizations can learn from the results 
• How language, timing, and prioritization shape the decisions leaders ultimately make 
• Practical ways to increase your influence, regardless of your title or position 

Episode References 

J. Basil Read, III, “Followership at the FDIC: A Case Study”
https://www.emerald.com/jole/article-pdf/13/4/136/10069009/v13_i4_c14.pdf

Ira Chaleff, The Courageous Follower
https://irachaleffauthor.com/

Connect with Basil Read
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-basil-read-iii-ph-d-a1274b23/