Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Politics of Promotion summary
Bonnie Marcus
How High-Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead
14 mins
Brief summary
"The Politics of Promotion" by Bonnie Marcus explores why women struggle to climb the corporate ladder and provides actionable advice to overcome barriers and achieve success in the workplace.
Table of Contents
The Politics of Promotion
Summary of 6 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 6
Job advancement is highly political – even more so if you’re a woman.
You perform well at work. Your projects all receive high praise from your boss. Yet, when your next promotion opportunity comes along, you’re left empty handed. Why?
Workplaces are highly political environments, not meritocracies. Advancement in the business world requires not only skill and competence, but also political savvy.
Politically savvy people know how to subtly work the system. They are conscious of their surroundings, and can easily identify which stakeholders and relationships are important for their success, using this knowledge strategically in order to get ahead.
It all starts with building good relationships with those in power, that is, the ones who have influence over the decisions that will affect your career trajectory.
Without this political savvy, you can deliver great results time and time again and still be passed over for promotion. It could be that your colleague, who, despite being less competent, still got the promotion you think you deserved, simply bonded with the people who had influence over the decision of who to promote.
The need to bond with important stakeholders is clear enough. But that’s easier said than done for women in the workplace, as company culture and politics today are still biased against them.
Even if a company has made it clear in its guidelines that all employees are to be treated equally, women still face challenges when it comes to building workplace relationships.
For example, a woman in a team mostly comprising men probably won’t get invited to weekend fishing trips or Monday night ball games. It won’t necessarily be out of malice, but simply because she is a woman, and her colleagues assume that she wouldn’t be interested in these activities or wouldn’t fit in.
But if she’s excluded from theses outings, she’s also excluded from the important conversations and bonding opportunities that come with them. As a woman, you have to be creative in forging bonds with the men in these networks, even though they might not make an effort to do the same.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Politics of Promotion?
Key ideas in The Politics of Promotion
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Politics of Promotion about?
The Politics of Promotion (2015) offers insights into the ways women can prime themselves for promotion in any line of work. Filled with actionable tips and strategic career advice, it provides the political savvy you need to maneuver within the workplace and secure your next promotion.
The Politics of Promotion Review
The Politics of Promotion (2015) sheds light on the challenges women face in the workplace and provides valuable strategies for overcoming them. Here's what makes this book worth reading:
- By examining real-life workplace scenarios, the book offers practical advice on navigating gender biases and advancing in one's career.
- It delves into organizational dynamics and provides insights on how to leverage power and influence to overcome barriers and achieve success.
- Through compelling anecdotes and case studies, the book brings the topic to life, ensuring an engaging and thought-provoking reading experience.
Who should read The Politics of Promotion?
- Women who want to move up the career ladder
- Anyone interested in the politics and dynamics of high-pressure workplaces
Categories with The Politics of Promotion
Book summaries like The Politics of Promotion
The Consolations of Philosophy
Alain De Botton
A Guide to Finding Wisdom and Comfort in Life
21 min
4.2
Millionaire Teacher
Andrew Hallam
The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School
16 min
4.4
The Technological Republic
Alexander C. Karp
Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West
16 min
Do Epic Shit
Ankur Warikoo
Align your actions, values, and mindset to create lasting success
17 min
4.1
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Politics of Promotion FAQs
What is the main message of The Politics of Promotion?
The main message of The Politics of Promotion is understanding and navigating workplace politics to advance your career.
How long does it take to read The Politics of Promotion?
The reading time for The Politics of Promotion varies, but the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Politics of Promotion a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Politics of Promotion is a valuable read for anyone looking to navigate workplace dynamics and achieve career advancement.
Who is the author of The Politics of Promotion?
The author of The Politics of Promotion is Bonnie Marcus.
What to read after The Politics of Promotion?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Politics of Promotion, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Ask For It by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever
- The Unspoken Truths for Career Success by Tessa White
- Nobody Cares About Your Career by Erika Ayers Badan
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- 7 Rules of Self-Reliance by Maha Abouelenein
- Flip-Flops and Microwaved Fish by Peter Yawitz
- The Art of Encouragement by Jordan Montgomery
- Life in Three Dimensions by Shigehiro Oishi
- Meaningful by Bernadette Jiwa
- Interviewology by Anna Papalia