Dean Ihrig Hosts Fireside Chat with Management Expert and Author Rachel Pacheco

The NYU SPS Division of Programs in Business (DPB) hosted an Industry Connection Series (ICS) webinar with management expert Rachel Pacheco, PhD on October 19th, 2021. Pacheco, a former chief people officer and founding team executive at multiple start-ups, conducts research and works with CEOs and their managers to build the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly scaling organization. She was joined by ICS host and DPB Dean Martin Ihrig, PhD, for a virtual fireside chat on her latest book, Bringing Up the Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers. Released by Matt Holt Books in August of this year, the book provides cutting-edge research, data, anecdotes, how-to exercises, and more, to help overwhelmed employees become expert managers.

According to Pacheco, 35% of employees cite their supervisor as the least favorable aspect of their job, but fortunately, as her book details, we can all build immediate and practical management skills that lead to successful working relationships and thriving organizations. Pacheco began by briefly recounting her journey from management consulting to academia, leadership, blogging, and eventually, to writing a handbook for new managers who need to build critical leadership skills quickly. 

Bringing Up the Boss is structured around three primary management relationships: the relationship with another individual, with a team, and with yourself. In addition to these core dynamics, Dean Ihrig and Pacheco discussed managing broader ecosystems of complex organizations and finding a balance between structure and informal conversations with those you manage. Throughout the event, Dean Ihrig fielded questions from the audience for Pacheco about management in a remote workplace, navigating uncertainty and expressing vulnerability, and how to inspire as a manager. In response to a question about “managing up” (or managing your supervisor), Pacheco shared two important lessons: own the relationship by driving its agenda and complement (rather than mirror) your boss’s style. The live broadcast also included a giveaway in which three participants won a free copy of the book. Pacheco concluded with one final piece of advice: build an authentic relationship with the person you manage, because while working relationships may change or end, rewarding connections can last a lifetime. 

About Rachel Pacheco
Rachel Pacheco, PhD is a management author, lecturer and researcher at The Wharton School. She is passionate about teaching people what it takes to be great managers and coaching executives and leaders on how to build thriving teams and organizations. At Wharton, Rachel conducts research on management—specifically on power and conflict—and is a member of the teaching faculty. She is also a founding faculty member of the Entrepreneurship in Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches multiple courses for budding entrepreneurs that focus on the practical side of working in a small organization.

Rachel serves on the board of advisors for numerous start-ups, primarily in the digital health and wellness space. A former chief people officer, she was on the executive teams of start-ups in the healthcare and big data space. Rachel has also lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, and thus has experienced the joy (and pain!) of leading and managing organizations across many distinct cultures. She holds a PhD and MBA from The Wharton School and a BS from Georgetown University.

About ICS
Now in its fifth year, the Industry Connection Series has garnered a growing audience for thought-provoking talks such as "The CEO Test," "Presenting Across Cultures," and "Leadership and Empowerment Lessons from an Everest Summiteer." Each session provides DPB students, faculty, alumni, and staff with leading-edge insights into current business trends and industry developments.

DPB is the largest division at NYU School of Professional Studies, with over 2,000 students, 500 faculty, and over 9,000 alumni. The Division comprises four centers of excellence that educate leaders in the functional areas of an enterprise. Each department’s credit and continuing education offerings serve students at every level of their careers, providing them with the skills required to succeed in critical positions in their professional development.