Let’s cut the corporate fluff.

After coaching everyone from fresh-faced high achievers to boardroom bosses, I’ve learned this: your résumé may open doors, but it’s the unwritten rules that really move the needle.

These are the things no one puts in a job description, but every successful leader figures out eventually (usually the hard way).

So whether you’re climbing the ladder, switching lanes, or wondering if it’s time to build your own… here are 10 refreshingly real career truths I wish someone had told me earlier.

You ready? Let’s go.

When was the last time you truly had a moment to think? Not just a second between meetings, but real, uninterrupted time to reflect, strategize, and gain clarity?

If your answer is “I can’t remember,” you’re not alone. Harvard Business Review found that 39% of mid and senior managers say they don’t have time to pause and reflect.

If you're not using AI, it's time to start. As Economist Richard Baldwin said at the 2023 World Economic Forum's Growth Summit, "AI won't replace you but the person using AI will." While we still haven’t quite figured out the parameters of how it can simplify our work and make us 10x more productive, we know intuitively that it can - and that we need to get ahead of it, so we’re using it to our advantage rather than being displaced by it.