# Office Politics Is Killing Your Career

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/leadership-language-7922096/office-politics-is-killing-your-career
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/leadership-language-7922096/office-politics-is-killing-your-career.md
Podcast: [Leadership Language](https://stenobird.com/podcast/leadership-language-7922096)
Published: 2026-07-21T07:38:39+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bill-tingle7/episodes/Office-Politics-Is-Killing-Your-Career-e3mbh0m
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/113cb4db4/podcast/play/123109846/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-6-21%2F428330667-44100-2-90c621e068404.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/leadership-language-7922096/episodes/office-politics-is-killing-your-career
Duration seconds: 431

## Resource

Many leaders look at office politics and think, “I don’t want to become that person.” So they stay out of it — and it quietly kills their career. In this episode, I’m reframing what office politics actually means for technology leaders. Politics does not have to mean lying, posturing, taking credit, or manipulating people. That is toxic politics — and you should stay far away from it. But healthy politics is different. Most IT leaders who get passed over are not short on effort. They deliver, they lead, they put in the work. The harder truth: the skills that made you the best operator are the same ones keeping you out of the executive seat. The business sees a technologist, not a leader. And no one ever explains how to change that. That is the work I do. I help IT Directors and VPs make the jump to the executive level. It starts with a short private diagnostic. It shows you which of the things holding you back is costing you the most, and where you stand against the leaders who already made the jump. For the right fit, it opens into the Executive Leap Session: A private 45-minute session, one on one with me I read your full diagnostic before we talk A straight read on where you actually stand The one or two things holding you back, specific to you The move that matters next 45 minutes with a former CIO, normally something leaders pay for. Take the diagnostic and find out where you stand. Take the diagnostic → https://www.tingleleadership.com/ Healthy politics is relationships and trust applied at scale. It is understanding what people care about, making your work visible, building trust before you need something, finding sponsors, and giving credit loudly and often. I’ll share the story of a director who had strong results, real integrity, and one of the most reliable…

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## Transcript

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