Most country managers spend a lot of energy managing their team.
Far fewer think about managing the person they report to.
Your manager usually sits in the region, far from your doctors, pharmacists and distributors. What they know about your market is mostly what you choose to show them, and how you show it.
In my experience, a few habits make that relationship work:
Agree what success looks like. A few clear priorities, agreed early in the year, save a lot of argument later.
No surprises. Bad news travels early, with the facts and a plan. A manager can defend a problem they heard about in time.
One set of numbers. The region and your own team see the same figures, every time.
Bring the market to them. When they visit, spend less time in the office and more time with customers.
Ask clearly for what you need. A specific request and the reason, before the plan is fixed.
None of this is politics. It is the same care you give a key customer.
“Your manager can only back what they understand.”
Lesson 12 of 15 in Step 7: Leading the leadership team, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.