Everyone has heard the saying "People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses." but what happens when it’s not just the boss…it’s the whole damn system?

In this episode, we pull back the curtain on toxic workplace politics. The kind of slow-burn dysfunction that erodes trust, kills morale, and leaves high performers doubting their worth. From weaponized company values to gaslighting, from cult-like cliques to weaponized positivity, we’re breaking down the eight most toxic politics that are quietly ruining the modern workplace.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: no company is perfect. There are no unicorns, just different flavors of dysfunction. So how do you figure out which “brand of BS” is tolerable for you? When do you know it’s time to walk away?

🧠 What’s in it for you?

✅ A breakdown of the 8 most toxic political behaviors in modern organizations
✅ Real-world examples of how these behaviors show up—subtly and overtly
✅ Strategies to emotionally protect yourself while you plot your exit
✅ Permission to prioritize your health over the illusion of loyalty

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Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.

Tired of unclear priorities, overwhelming workloads, or poor and destructive decisions being made from above? In todays episode we provide guidance on taking back control — even when you’re not in a position of power.

Chris breaks down the real skill that separates influential professionals from the rest: managing up. Learn how to influence decisions, protect yourself politically, and push back on unrealistic expectations without damaging your reputation and minizine backlash.

What’s in it for you?

• A strategy to get clarity when everything feels like “priority #1”
• Proven ways to raise concerns without sounding confrontational
• Tools to frame your ideas in terms your leaders will actually hear
• Techniques to support a manager who’s willing to fight for the team

If you want more impact, more influence, and less chaos this is your starting point.

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Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.

Think promotions are based solely on hard work and performance? Think again. In this episode, we break the promotion down into 3 distinct stages and explain the politics you need to understand at each stage to make it to the next.

You’ll learn:

• Why being great at your job isn’t enough
• How the behind-the-scenes promotion process really works
• What managers are actually looking for (and not saying)
• How to navigate the politics after you land the role

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overlooked, or unsure how to play the game, this episode will give you the clarity—and the strategy—to take control of your advancement. Let’s get you moving forward with your eyes wide open.

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Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.

The war over where work gets done isn’t about productivity — it’s about power. In this episode, we sit down to unpack what's really driving the return-to-office mandates and why forcing people back into buildings won’t solve broken leadership, weak culture, or company underperformance.

We explore how outdated thinking clashes with modern shifts, and why designing work around human biology — not the past — is the real path to sustainable success.

🔥 In this episode:

• Why return-to-office mandates are a control move, not a culture fix
• How most workplaces are biologically misaligned with how our brains work
• The hidden costs of office mandates: trust erosion, culture decay, and burnout
• What strong leaders do differently in remote and hybrid environments
• How to build team rhythm, culture, and connection — no matter where you work

This episode challenges the old rules — and gives you new ones worth leading by.

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Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.

Today we’re diving into one of the trickiest, yet most important dynamics in the workplace: politics with your manager. Whether you’ve found yourself under the thumb of a micromanager, stuck with a disengaged boss, or lucky enough to work for a true coach leader, understanding how to navigate your relationship with your manager can be the difference between thriving and wanting to go insane.

In this episode, we will walk you through five common management personalities including: the Control Freak, the Jekyll & Hyde, the Disengaged, the Absentee, and the Coach Leader. We'll offer practical strategies—tested by ourselves—for managing each type of manager so you can get the most out of them. We will give you the real talk on the politics and dynamics of these relationships.

Key questions we’ll explore:

• How can you identify your boss’s behavioral type?
• How can you earn autonomy from a micromanager?
• How can you get the most out of a moody boss?
• What strategies can help you grow when your boss is disengaged or absent?
• If you’re lucky enough to have a coach-style leader—how can you maximize that rare opportunity?

This episode is for anyone who’s ever struggled with the person they report to, wants to feel more empowered, more in control, or more politically savvy.

Resources:

HBR Guide to Office Politics

You Can’t Sit Out Office Politics

Executive Warfare

Support the show

Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.

Hard work isn’t enough. Talent isn’t enough. If you’ve ever watched someone less skilled, less experienced, or less qualified climb the ladder faster than you, there’s a reason—they understand political capital.

Leadership isn’t just about skill—it’s about power, influence, and knowing how to play the game without getting played. If you’re not actively building political capital, you’re losing ground.

🔥 What’s in it for you?
✅ Why being great at your job isn’t enough—and what actually moves you forward.
✅ The invisible economy of influence that determines who gets heard, promoted, and respected.
✅ How to build political capital without playing dirty or sacrificing your integrity.
✅ The career-killing mistakes that drain your power—sometimes overnight.
✅ How to master leadership politics before they master you.

🚀 You can’t ignore political capital—it’s shaping your career whether you realize it or not. Tune in now and learn how to lead with power, influence, and unstoppable authority. 🎧🔥

Support the show

Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.

Power runs the world—whether we like it or not. The question is, are you building your own, or are you being controlled by those who do?

This episode is all about power: how it works, how to build it, and how it is used. Power isn’t about titles or authority—it’s about influence, persuasion, and a mindset that puts you in control. If you’re not actively building your own power, you’re just a piece on someone else’s chessboard.

We break down:
🔥 What it means to have power.
🔥 Why power is feared but also necessary.
🔥 Three ways to gain power (two have nothing to do with your job).
🔥 Three ways power is wielded.
🔥 The three top laws of power everyone should follow.

If you want to understand the politics of power or how to gain power for yourself, this episode is for you.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Harvard Business Essentials: Power, Influence, and Persuasion
• 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene - Summary & Notes
• Managing in the Age of Outrage
• The Age of Outrage | Karthik Ramanna

🎧 Listen now—because in the game of power, the only real mistake is not playing.

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Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.

In a world overflowing with misinformation, biased narratives, hidden agendas, and more and more convincing deep fakes, how can you make sure you're not being manipulated or gaslighted? Critical thinking and the ability to analyze, question, and form your own conclusions is more valuable than ever—yet most people unknowingly fall for manipulation every day.

This episode is your ultimate guide to critical thinking—the skill that will set you apart in business, relationships, and everyday decision-making. You’ll learn how to detect bias, question assumptions, and make smarter choices without being swayed by misleading headlines or social media noise.

🎯 What’s in it for you?
✅ Make better, more informed decisions in every area of life
✅ Recognize when you’re being manipulated—and how to stop it
✅ Strengthen your confidence by thinking independently
✅ Develop a powerful BS detector that saves you from bad information
✅ Communicate your thoughts in a way that commands respect

By the end of this episode, you’ll have the tools to cut through deception, think with clarity, and confidently navigate a world designed to influence you.

🔥 Don’t just consume information—control it. Think smarter. Live freer.

Support the show

Ready to take your personal development to the next level? Visit www.theleadershipmovement.net to request access to our FREE quick start guides, self-assessments, and other resources that you can use to turn your new knowledge into practice.