Four words that cost my client her promotion – again.
Meet Anoush
She ran on late-night lattes, hit every target, and led a team that would walk through fire for her.
Yet when the leadership slate dropped, her name was missing – again.
“I’m here to work, not stroke egos,” she told me, voice tight.
I flashed back to my 26-year-old self—all grit, zero strategy.
So we unpacked the word she hated – just like millions of women still do.
What is politics?
Politics is not manipulation.
Politics is simply:
- Who knows you.
- Who trusts you.
- Who says your name when you’re not in the room.
A 2024 Gartner study backs it up: political skill outranks performance for women’s promotions.
Stay “above politics,” and you don’t stay noble – you stay invisible.
In other words, politics = Relationships × Visibility.
How Anoush rewrote the game:
1️⃣ Anchored her Why
A raise meant therapy for her son and a wider door for first-gen women. Purpose beats fear.
2️⃣ Studied the battlefield
One silent week noting whom the CEO quoted and who moved resources like chess pieces. She finally saw the shadow grid in action.
3️⃣ Invested 30 minutes a day
Coffee chats, public praise, warm intros—small moves with compound influence.
4️⃣ Lifted as she climbed
Every new ally got an ally back; generosity kept ambition clean.
5️⃣ Set firm boundaries
Crystal-clear values turned “yes” and “no” into reflexes.
Her promotion landed in week 12.
Your turn.
When has avoiding politics cost you – a raise, a seat, a voice?
Politics happens with or without us. Choose with, and play it on your terms.