No Bosses Here
A Peer-to-Peer UnConference on Managing Up
 |
Course Details October 27, 2026 | 1:00 - 4:00 PM ET
 3-Hour Live Online UnConference
 3 Credit Hours
 Recommended for all library workers, regardless of type.
 $135 (Save with early bird and group rates!)
Managing up is one of those skills everyone is expected to have, but hierarchies, communication styles, and internal politics can make even small conversations feel loaded.This UnConference creates space to talk honestly about those dynamics and learn from people who have dealt with them firsthand.
IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH LEADERSHIP MAKING YOUR JOB HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE?
You’ll leave with more practical ways to communicate upward, navigate friction, and manage up without making the dynamic worse. Early bird rate is $102 through September 27, 2026. Standard rate is $135 through October 27, 2026. All sessions will take place via Zoom on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, most sessions will NOT be recorded, so please plan accordingly. We will, however, keep and share all resources and deliverables for you to access, and there will be a place to keep the conversations going online.
CALL FOR PROPOSALSLibrary Journal invites both session leaders and session ideas about the art of managing up for our Fall 2026 online unconference. All Session leaders who are accepted will receive complimentary registration.
SUBMIT A SESSION PROPOSAL OR TOPIC IDEA Submission deadline: June 29, 2026 Acceptances will be sent by July 13, 2026.
Invoice or PO options: Orders of $600 or greater can choose invoice at checkout. For orders under $600, please do not check out online. Submit this form, and we will process your order manually. Need approval? Email this course to your supervisor. TRAINING A TEAM?When more staff understand how to manage up effectively, communication with leadership gets clearer, ideas move more easily, and everyday friction causes less drag across the organization. Multi-seat discounts are automatically calculated in the cart. Return to Full Course Catalog AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:
You will leave with honest, actionable strategies drawn from colleagues who have faced the same dynamics and found ways through them. This course is especially helpful for:
If that sounds like your role, you will probably see yourself in this course.
If you are someone who:
This course was built for you.
Make your work life easier by learning how to manage up effectively and relationally. We've all had tough bosses. It can feel impossible to talk about it without the fear of repercussions. But if you don't talk about it, how will anything change? That's where this UnConference comes in. What this UnConference is NOT: A place to complain about your boss without any solution seeking. What this UnConference IS: A place to share concerns and get real ideas for solutions from people who REALLY get it. Modeled on the open, participant-driven unconference format, this course puts the expertise back in the room where it belongs: with the librarians who are living these dynamics every day. There is no single instructor delivering a tidy framework from on high. Instead, you'll bring your real experiences, your real frustrations, and your real questions into structured peer conversations that generate real answers—the kind that come from people who have actually figured out how to work effectively with a difficult supervisor, navigate a bureaucratic approval process, or make a case for change without burning a relationship in the process. You'll explore what managing up actually means in library contexts—from communicating your value to leadership, to surfacing problems before they escalate, to building the kind of credibility that earns you a seat at the table when decisions get made. You'll examine your own role in the dynamics around you, swap strategies with colleagues who have cracked codes you haven't, and leave with an honest, practical sense of what to do differently.
SESSIONS AND PRICINGThis is a live online session. If you can’t attend in real time, you will receive access to the recording.
GROUP OPTIONSTraining a team? Choose the setup that matches how you want to plan and pay: Group course enrollment: Enroll 3+ staff in this course and save. Bulk course credits: Prepay once, get the highest per-seat discount on every course, and assign seats later. Unlimited annual licensing: System-wide access for a year with no per-course approvals. Request Discounted Group Pricing Questions? Email groupsales@libraryjournal.com. COURSE FORMATThis is a live, 3-hour online session using an UnConference format, with structured peer discussions instead of a traditional lecture.
EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENTPlan for approximately 3 hours for the live session, plus optional time for reflection and applying what you learn.
ON-DEMAND ACCESSYou will have access to the session recording for six months after the live event.
CREDIT & CERTIFICATEYou will receive 3 professional development credit hours and a Library Journal certificate of completion.
ACCESSIBILITYAll sessions include auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com upon registration and we will make our best efforts to support your needs.
SUPPORTFor technical or course-related support, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com. |
