A playbook for decoding unspoken rules of work culture and accelerating up the corporate ladder
Every workplace operates on a set of unwritten norms that shape its internal culture. While business schools and management programs can provide excellent training in finance, marketing, strategy, and research methods, they rarely prepare students for how to discern these unspoken rules that are crucial for career mobility.
Mastering the Corporate Chess Game is a playbook for deciphering these workplace norms, especially in the formative stages of one's career. Through an inspiring collection of relatable experiences, this book equips readers with the tools and mind-set to make their own moves as they advance in their organizations. Contributors from a variety of business sectors share personal stories that reflect on their early career challenges, beginning with particular puzzles or obstacles and culminating in a solution or a pivot—sometimes several in one career. Despite not knowing the norms, not knowing how to seek guidance, and not being prepared for frustration, each of these successful professionals provides practical strategies for decoding the unwritten rules of the workplace. Whether switching companies, transitioning fields, or launching entrepreneurial ventures, they reveal proactive steps for figuring out the rules of the "corporate chess game."
Mastering the Corporate Chess Game will benefit young professionals eager to understand workplace dynamics, forge meaningful connections, and build collaborative teams.
Reviews
"The metaphor of a chess game provides the perfect backdrop to share how a mix of strategic thinking and discernment can inform one's career path and decision-making processes. Mastering the Corporate Chess Game combines real-world insights and practical suggestions from successful executives and experts in a way that complements the values-based approach to business we teach in our classrooms. Ultimately, this book will help guide future generations of leaders to excel professionally and make an impact on both their organizations and society."—Paul Almeida, dean, professor of strategy, and William R. Berkley Chair, Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business
"Groves lifts the curtain on the unwritten rules to help you succeed in business. Drawing on insights from seasoned leaders, she shares the challenges they faced and the strategies they used to overcome them. Through these experiences, you will learn how to identify situations and behaviors that can derail your career—and discover the countermoves you can take to address them. Offering a strategic roadmap for advancing up the corporate ladder, Mastering the Corporate Chess Game is indispensable reading for anyone in business aiming to stay a move ahead."—Mary Callahan Erdoes, CEO, J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management
"Knowing the rules doesn't mean that you will be good at playing the game. Groves has compiled a fantastic set of anecdotes and advice—across a wide range of industries and job functions—that would take years for someone to learn on their own."—Ann Sarnoff, former CEO, Warner Brothers
About the Author
Cynthia Groves is an adviser to the Kosoy Women in Business Program at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business and a coach in leadership and career planning through the Georgetown Women in International Affairs initiative. She also leads a professional services consulting firm and sits on the board of SPRHA, a woman-owned athletic sportswear company.
