According to Harvard Business Review, 69% of managers say they’re uncomfortable communicating with employees, especially when it comes to giving feedback or receiving unclear updates.

And the reality? Most professionals make it harder than it needs to be.
They ramble, overshare, or miss the big picture when updating their boss.

Updates aren’t just FYIs. They’re how you build credibility, influence, and autonomy in your role.

Don't fall into the trap of "just informing your boss". Instead, influence them by using every update as a chance to position yourself as a strategic thinker and leader.

One of my favorite 3-part frameworks we teach our clients is:

→ Share current context (i.e. current situation, where you last left off on a topic, etc...)
→ Share what's changed (i.e. progress, new information gained, inflection point on a project, etc...)
→ Share where you're at and next steps (i.e. leave them with clarity on what they can expect from you)

Beyond this, there's 3 other strategies that will solidify your leadership when sharing updates with your boss. Let's break them down together!

3 strategies to update your boss

1/ Tailor your communication to their needs

Go beyond channel preferences and understand what your boss cares about most.

Speak to that, and you'll capture and keep their attention much better, plus gain the support you need.

For example, if they’re focused on cost-cutting, highlight how your work impacts the bottom line.
If they’re under pressure to deliver fast, emphasize timelines and speed.
If they're overloaded, show how you're prioritizing the most pressing projects and driving results.
​
Your job is to connect your updates to their priorities.

Bonus points for connecting them to the bigger goals of your department, division or company to further build your reputation in a meaningful way.

Here's 4 easy ways to tailor your updates better:​
→ Observe what your boss focuses on most in meetings and informal conversations with others.
→ Filter your updates through their goals.
→ Cut fluff, then cut again. Chances are, you can say what you need to say in half the words. Do that.
→ Ask for feedback on what they want more/less of.

“I wanted to share a quick update that we renegotiated with our vendor and secured a 12% discount this quarter. That should free up budget for the Q3 initiatives you flagged last week.”

“We’re three days ahead of schedule on Phase two. I’ve padded a bit of buffer into the next stage in case of unexpected blockers, but we’re on track for our May 30 delivery.”

“This initiative directly supports the customer satisfaction KPIs we’re tracking this quarter. I’ve already seen a 15% reduction in complaint tickets tied to this workflow.”

[Check out my LinkedIn Learning course Storytelling to Influence Leadership and Decision Makers]

2/ Build a narrative, not a list

Your update should read like a short, strategic story, not a task dump.

Even if you don’t have massive progress to report, show how things are evolving and how you're leading that. Frame challenges, what you’ve tried, and what you need. Make the arc clear.

Follow these 4 steps for maximum effectiveness in your delivery:​
→ Frame updates around themes, not tasks.
→ Use data to reinforce your points. It's hard to deny facts vs. feelings.
→ Be clear with your asks.
→ Show progress, even if it feels small.

“We’re seeing momentum on the onboarding process revamp. After mapping out friction points last week, I tested a new flow with 2 pilot teams. Their feedback cut average onboarding time by 28%. To scale it further, I’ll need help from IT on access automation. Can I loop in Priya from their team?”

“Since our last check-in, I’ve narrowed the vendor list to three finalists. Two meet our tech specs and budget, but one lacks integration with our CRM. I’d recommend shortlisting Vendor B, unless there's a dealbreaker you see I’ve missed.”

[Check out my 10 min training on How to communicate to executives with confidence]

3/ Demonstrate leadership in every update

When you share updates, bring ownership with them.

Instead of flagging problems, show how you’re solving them. Link your work to the bigger picture and highlight wins that wouldn’t have happened without your input.

This is especially important if your direct work is part of a bigger process where multiple teams are involved to reach a target outcome.

Leverage these quick tips to show leadership more clearly:​
→ Share solutions, not just problems.
→ Connect to broader business goals to reinforce the impact of your work.
→ Spotlight team efforts and your contributions. Make sure the distinction between both is clear.
→ Highlight how you’re growing and improving.

“I’ve flagged that our customer retention rate is dipping in X segment. I reviewed support tickets and found recurring issues with onboarding. I drafted a revised email sequence to test next month and aligned with CS to track NPS. I’ll report back with results.”

“We had a delivery delay from one supplier, which could have impacted the launch. I pre-negotiated an expedited shipment from our backup vendor, which keeps us on timeline. I’ve also documented this as a risk management case for future playbooks. This has been an important learning and I'm happy to share that with our other teams."

Pro tip: If you're developing best practices in how you show up and deliver results, document this and include it in your updates. Then, volunteer to package it together for other teams or markets to boost your visibility and exposure. This is a great way of getting on the radar proactively of key decision-makers who influence your progression. This has led to major breakthroughs for our clients' growth, like Sarah.

You've got this!