Secrets of the Career Game

Most professionals chase the next promotion without ever asking if it's the right move. In this conversation, Kendall Berg and executive coach Whitney Faires expose the myth of the linear career path and why the most fulfilled leaders often take strategic sideways moves instead of climbing straight up. Whitney shares her Courageous Leader Roadmap, a framework for showing up with authenticity, self-awareness, and fearless communication, the traits that separate high performers from true leaders. Together, they unpack the messy middle of leadership transitions, how to navigate corporate politics without selling your soul, and why your reputation starts forming long before you enter the room. In this episode, we discuss: What are the most overlooked skills when moving from contributor to director? How can leaders build influence without self-promotion? How do you navigate corporate politics without losing authenticity? What's the right moment to make a lateral move instead of chasing a promotion? How can specific feedback requests accelerate leadership growth? What does it mean to lead courageously — and how can you start today? What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game, she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ About Whitney Faires Whitney Faires is an internationally recognized executive coach, keynote speaker, and leadership advisor with 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Formerly Chief of Staff to the CFO at Intuitive Surgical, she led high-impact organizational health initiatives, launched global leadership development programs, and coached rising professionals into senior roles. Her multifaceted career spans sales, finance, and commercial operations, where she spearheaded the creation of a $2 billion international leasing portfolio. As the founder of Whitney Faires Coaching, she developed the Courageous Leader Roadmap — a practical approach for leaders to show up authentically, navigate adversity, and drive meaningful results. She is an ICF-accredited PCC coach and is passionate about helping leaders elevate their influence and build high-performing teams. Connect with Whitney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-faires-14955a38/ https://www.instagram.com/whitney_faires https://www.facebook.com/WhitneyFairesCoaching/ https://www.whitneyfaires.com/

Your performance review might be enough to save you from getting fired, but it's definitely enough to keep you from getting promoted. Kendall Berg unpacks why most professionals underestimate their self-evaluations and how a well-written review can make or break your next career move. She explains how to turn your performance review into your best internal marketing tool: one that showcases impact, influence, and growth. From gathering 360 feedback to crafting measurable goals and starting promotion conversations at the right time, Kendall shares the proven strategies she used as a corporate leader to help people actually get rewarded for their work. In this episode, we discuss: How do you write a performance review that gets you promoted? What should you include (and avoid) in your self-evaluation? How can you collect 360 feedback that actually helps your career? When is the right time to talk to your boss about a raise or promotion? What separates average reviews from the ones that get noticed? What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? ⭐️Get our FREE Accomplishments Tracker: https://fabulous-butterfly-83716.myflodesk.com/n8yzvrtw9v 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game, she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Build out the tools you need to navigate the corporate game: — Self Driven Mastermind

Too many smart, capable women stay stuck in roles that feel "safe." In this episode, Kendall Berg and Dr. Candace Steele Flippin unpack why — and how to finally break free. Drawing on groundbreaking research from her book and her SHAPE Framework (Safe, Hard Work, Advocate, Persevere, Educate), Dr. Candace reveals the hidden connection between financial stability and career confidence — and why money literacy isn't just about saving, it's about power. Together, they explore how self-advocacy, financial readiness, and strategic visibility help women move from fear to freedom. Whether you're hesitating to take a promotion, negotiate your worth, or leave a role that no longer fits, this conversation gives you the mindset and tools to stop playing it safe and start shaping your next chapter. 💡 Key Takeaways Financial stability is the foundation for taking bold career risks with confidence. "Hard work" doesn't guarantee advancement — visibility and alignment do. Poor negotiation skills can cost up to $2M over a career; advocacy pays off. Resilience means knowing when to persevere and when to move on. Continuous learning and feedback fuel long-term self-efficacy. The SHAPE Framework helps women assess where they're playing small — and how to grow. Career success starts with self-awareness, not perfection. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game, she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Dr. Candace Steele Flippin is a three-time bestselling author and career strategist who helps professionals advance with clarity and influence. She is the founder of the Global Career Advancement Institute and creator of the SHAPE Career Accelerator program, developed from more than a decade of research on career advancement and leadership. A former corporate communications executive, she has led teams in healthcare, financial services, and industrial technology and now teaches leadership development at Johns Hopkins University. Her work is trusted by companies and organizations that want practical solutions for career growth, retention, and engagement. She shares strategies you can use right away to move your career forward with purpose and confidence. Follow Her On: LinkedIn Dr. Candace Steele Flippin https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacesteeleflippin/ Instagram @candacesteeleflippin https://www.instagram.com/candacesteeleflippin/

Most professionals don't plateau because they've hit their technical limit; they plateau because no one can see their value. In this episode, Kendall Berg breaks down the confidence gap and exposes the real reason talented people stay invisible at work: not a lack of skill, but a lack of visibility, presence, and confidence. Kendall explains how soft skills like communication, influence, and executive presence can move your career forward faster than any other certification ever could. She shares actionable frameworks to build authentic confidence through repetition, feedback, and mindset shifts, along with her 3-step communication model that helps you speak clearly and with authority. You'll learn why success at senior levels is perception-driven, and how to project confidence that's real, sustainable, and aligned with who you are. In this episode, we discuss: How underconfidence keeps capable professionals invisible, while overconfidence can elevate unqualified leaders Why soft skills like communication, influence, and executive presence matter more than degrees or technical expertise Practical frameworks for building authentic confidence through repetition, feedback, and mindset shifts Tactical tools for clear communication, including Kendall's 3-step model: context, problem, recommendation The idea that success at senior levels is perception-driven — you must be seen as confident to be promoted What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game, she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/

True "job security" as guaranteed lifetime employment was never a reality, though the perception of it was stronger in previous generations. In this episode, Kendall Berg sits down with career strategist Renata Bernarde to talk about what it really takes to stay relevant when the rules of work keep changing. From quiet layoffs to invisible promotion ceilings, they dig into why waiting to be "discovered" is no longer a strategy but a trap. Renata shares how thinking like the CEO of your own career changes everything: the way you network, the way you show up online, and the way you plan for the future version of you. Together, she and Kendall dive into the power of self-agency, the networking realities behind senior-level hiring, and how to plan your career with your 70-year-old self in mind. Whether you're feeling stuck, restless, or ready to pivot, this conversation will help you build the kind of career that lasts no matter what the market does next. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game, she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Build out the tools you need to navigate the corporate game: — Self Driven Mastermind About Renata Bernarde Renata Bernarde is a career coach and job-hunting expert who helps experienced and senior professionals design successful career strategies, secure new roles, and navigate career transitions with confidence. She is the host of The Job Hunting Podcast and the founder of a coaching practice supporting corporate, nonprofit, and government professionals worldwide. She also lectures on career planning and design at Monash University and is an Enterprise Fellow at the University of Melbourne. With a background as a former CEO and executive leader, Renata brings practical insight, empathy, and strategic thinking to job search and career planning for experienced professionals. https://www.renatabernarde.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/renatabernarde/ https://www.youtube.com/@renatabernarde https://open.spotify.com/show/7kmWFQN3y8WyEqsm99UKlk https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-job-hunting-podcast/id1481423500 https://www.instagram.com/stories/renatabernarde.co/

Kendall Berg reveals the truth about how to emotionally detach from work—without losing your ambition. Most professionals don't burn out from overworking; they burn out from over-caring. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall breaks down why emotional detachment is the real power skill behind sustainable success. You'll learn how to stop tying your self-worth to work performance, focus your energy where it actually drives results, and let go of the constant need to fix everyone else's problems. Kendall also shares her personal "Future Self Cheat Sheet," a simple framework to help you build identity, structure, and joy outside of work—so your career doesn't consume your entire sense of self. ✨ In this episode, we discuss: How to emotionally detach from work without feeling lazy or disengaged What daily habits prevent burnout and build long-term success Why "swooping and saving" your team only fuels exhaustion How to create your own "Future Self Cheat Sheet" What emotional detachment really looks like for high performers 👉 Improve your self advocacy: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-my-promotion-guide-now ⭐️Get our FREE Accomplishments Tracker: https://fabulous-butterfly-83716.myflodesk.com/n8yzvrtw9v That Career Coach Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/

Kendall Berg and Sara Anderson go deep into why authentic confidence isn't about "faking it until you make it"—it's about rewiring your nervous system so your leadership presence becomes undeniable. From grounding exercises that calm anxiety before high-stakes meetings to mindset shifts that make you more memorable in the boardroom, this episode unpacks the hidden mechanics of influence that no one teaches you in corporate training. Sara explains how nervous system regulation directly impacts clarity, vocal control, and body language. She shares a client story of a senior leader who broke through a years-long ceiling after mastering these techniques, proving that leadership isn't about credentials alone—it's about resonance. Together, Kendall and Sara reveal how trust, likability, and authentic connection matter far more than polished perfection when it comes to career growth. In this episode, we discuss: How can nervous system regulation improve leadership confidence? Why does likability matter more than technical skills for career growth? What visualization exercises actually reduce anxiety before big meetings? How do gender dynamics and bias impact visibility at work? What mindset shifts help leaders move from polished to truly authentic? ⭐️Get our FREE Accomplishments Tracker: https://fabulous-butterfly-83716.myflodesk.com/n8yzvrtw9v That Career Coach Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach 💡 About Sara Anderson Sara Anderson is the founder of Lead Out Loud and the creator of The Resonance Method™, a science-backed leadership framework that helps high-performing women master the unspoken dynamics of corporate influence. Her unique approach teaches the invisible forces that separate leaders who struggle from those who seem to effortlessly command rooms and get results. Sara has coached executives at companies like Adobe, Workday, and Cerity Partners, helping them decode the hidden rules of corporate power and influence with authenticity. She specializes in helping ambitious professionals move beyond traditional "executive presence" training to master the psychology and strategy behind magnetic leadership—perfect for anyone ready to play the career game at a higher level. Website Instagram LinkedIn Profile

Kendall Berg doesn't sugarcoat it: if you refuse to engage in corporate politics, your career will stall. Hard work alone gets you to middle management at best, while those who master influence, relationships, and reputation move into senior leadership. Politics isn't about gossip—it's about power dynamics, alliances, and timing. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall breaks down how to navigate the politics of influence without losing yourself. She shares tactical strategies for identifying power centers, mapping allies and rivals, managing conflict with integrity, and building trust that lasts. Whether you're aiming for Director, VP, or C-suite, this episode is your roadmap for turning politics from a career roadblock into a career advantage. 👉 In this episode, we discuss: How do you know if avoiding politics is holding back your career? What are the three pillars of corporate politics everyone should master? How do you identify the true power players in your company? What's the best way to handle rivals and protect your reputation? How can leaders build trust and advocate for their teams effectively?

Networking isn't just for job hunting — it's the long-term career insurance policy that carries you through promotions, layoffs, and everything in between. And in a world of AI, real career decisions still rely on real people. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall Berg sits down with Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn's career expert and author of the Career Companion newsletter, to unpack how authentic networking really works in 2025. Catherine shares why 75% of professionals still trust human insight over AI tools, why 63% turn to their colleagues and peers when making big decisions, and how to build relationships that last. We also dive into the realities that make networking challenging: 46% of professionals say networking makes them anxious, 46% admit they don't know what to say when reaching out, and 45% only connect with their network when they need something. Catherine offers practical, low-stress strategies to change that — from keeping your network warm with simple gestures to approaching executives without wasting their time. From Gen Z's mini-resumes to the do's and don'ts of authentic outreach, this conversation will change how you think about building relationships and remind you why human connection still matters most. In this episode, we discuss: What role does networking have to play in the full picture of our careers? Why is networking more important than ever today? How are traditional networking practices changing with technology and culture? What's driving the latest networking trends? How is Gen Z rewriting the rules of networking? What are the basic do's and don'ts of networking today? How can you make your networking relationships mutually beneficial and take them to the next level? ⭐️ Get our FREE Accomplishments Tracker: https://fabulous-butterfly-83716.myflodesk.com/n8yzvrtw9v That Career Coach Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ About Catherine Fisher Catherine Fisher is LinkedIn's career expert and the author of the Career Companion newsletter, where she shares practical advice on job interviews, navigating a competitive market, workplace burnout, and building authentic professional relationships. She currently serves as Vice President of Global Consumer Communications at LinkedIn and has over 30 years of experience leading marketing and communications for some of the world's most recognized brands, including Netflix, eBay, and One Kings Lane. Catherine's work blends insider career insights with a passion for helping professionals grow and thrive. She studied Art History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and continues to inspire audiences with her fresh perspective on career development, networking, and modern workplace culture. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinefisherlinkedin/ Career Companion https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/career-companion-6994037905178398720/

Corporate careers don't offer the same safety net they once did. Pensions are gone, promotions are slow, and many roles feel like dead ends. That's why more professionals are turning to side hustles—and Kendall Berg is one of them. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall shares how she built a career coaching business while still working a demanding corporate job. She breaks down what it really takes to launch without waiting for the "perfect plan," how one TikTok video changed everything, and the pricing mistakes that nearly burned her out. With candor and a bit of irony about corporate culture, Kendall shows why messy action, social media, and smart pricing are the real game-changers. In this episode, we discuss: Why are so many professionals starting side hustles in 2025? How can you balance a corporate job and a growing business? What's the real secret behind going viral and turning followers into clients? How do you know if you're charging enough for your services? What systems make scaling a side hustle actually possible? 📄 Get the Resume Guide to master the ATS and land more interviews: https://thatcareercoach.myflodesk.com/resume-guide/checkout ⭐️Get our FREE Accomplishments Tracker: https://fabulous-butterfly-83716.myflodesk.com/n8yzvrtw9v That Career Coach Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Build out the tools you need to navigate the corporate game: — Self Driven Mastermind