Being “the reliable one” is probably the reason you’re stuck. In this episode, internationally published author, TEDx speaker, and career coach Kendall Berg explains why high performers sabotage themselves by secretly doing other people’s work, rescuing unreliable colleagues like “Clark,” and then wondering why those same people keep getting credit and opportunities. She introduces the idea of creating “space to fail”, delivering your part, leaving their slides blank, and letting the gap be visible, so the system finally sees who is actually doing the work and who is dead weight.​Kendall breaks down the biggest hidden mistake mid-career professionals make: assuming their manager understands the complexity and impact of their work. She shows how to “educate your leadership” instead, translating tasks into business impact by asking, “What would not have happened if I hadn’t done my job?”, and why that shift helps your boss advocate for you in cross-calibration and promotion discussions where your whole career is decided in a room you’re not in.​The conversation dives deep into navigating bad bosses and toxic coworkers: building a broad internal network so your fate isn’t tied to one manager, documenting expectations and meetings to protect yourself, warning your manager about conflicts before they blow up, and learning your boss’s communication style so you can anticipate what they need like “Jean Grey reading minds.” Kendall also tackles corporate subterfuge, credit stealers, manipulators, and office politicians, and shares how to play the long game ethically while still protecting your career, plus when it’s time to stop trying to fix the system and leave.​Topics:- “Space to fail” instead of swooping in to save unreliable coworkers (letting blank slides expose who didn’t deliver)- The biggest mid-career mistake: assuming your manager understands the complexity and impact of your work- How to “educate your leadership” and talk about impact by asking, “What would not have happened if I hadn’t done my job?”- Shifting from “I build widgets” to “I enable outcomes” as you move from individual contributor to manager and director- Navigating bad bosses: building relationships with your boss’s peers and leaders so promotions don’t depend on one person- Protecting yourself from toxic coworkers through documentation, expectation-setting, and giving your boss a heads-up before conflicts escalate​- Why office subterfuge (credit-stealing, manipulation) often wins short term, and how to play the long game ethically—or decide it’s time to leaveGuest:Kendall Berg – Executive career coach, TEDx speaker, and author of Secrets of the Career Game: 36 Strategies to Get Ahead in Your Career, where she reveals the unspoken rules of promotions, office politics, and leadership presence that most professionals are never taught.​

The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or the podcast. The host is not responsible for any statements made by the guest.