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The Politics of Promotion

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The Politics of Promotion

How High-Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead

Bonnie Marcus,

15 min read
8 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Women must take their professional destinies into their own hands by developing and employing workplace “political savvy.”

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Editorial Rating

7

getAbstract Rating

  • Applicable
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Though the women’s movement began decades ago, women business leaders remain rare. A lingering bias against women in the workplace is partially to blame, but women are often reluctant to work their companies’ cultures to their personal advantage. Professional coach Bonnie Marcus urges women to take their destinies into their own hands by developing and employing “political savvy” at work. She explains why women don’t receive the promotions, pay, and positions they want and what they can do about it. Marcus’s advice is repetitive at times — mostly for emphasis and reassurance — but it will resonate with women who want to forge meaningful careers, whether they’re just starting out or fighting to stay on top.

Summary

Women often view office politics as unseemly, but “political savvy” is the secret women tend to overlook when trying to get ahead.

Despite the development of the modern feminist movement, women have made few strides in gaining promotions at work. Women hold only slightly more than 5% of chief executive roles at Fortune 500 and Fortune 1,000 firms. Often, office politics hold them back. But to overcome built-in gender bias in the business world, women must master those machinations to their advantage. Becoming politically adept calls for developing relationships and self-assurance, engaging in self-promotion, and ferreting out important information you can use strategically.

To cultivate your political savvy, examine your firm’s dynamics. Which of your colleagues receive promotions? Who do they know? Why do decision makers view them favorably? What kind of work does your company prize? Do your firm’s leaders know and value your work? Which leaders should you get to know better? Make these observations strategically to understand how to succeed within your company’s unique environment.

If you find this approach unsavory, you aren’t alone: Many...

About the Author

Bonnie Marcus, a professional career coach, founded and leads Women’s Success Coaching. She writes for business publications, including Business Insider and Forbes.

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