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In 18th-century Britain, who was hired to eat bread placed over a corpse in order to symbolically take on the dead person’s sins?
[ Answer at the bottom ]
In today’s Career Ladder:
Today’s Ladder: Outmaneuver workplace drama with strategy.
Framework: No gossip. Just Growth.
Takeaway: Survive the politics. Win the game.
Resources: I dug through the web so you can skip the rabbit hole.
ICYMI: These gems flew under the radar; don’t sleep on them.
Career Ladder Intel: Career news and trends you can’t afford to ignore.
"Your next promotion will come from a conversation, not a confrontation."
Today’s Ladder:
Outmaneuver Drama With Strategy
Drama is loud. Strategy is quiet.
Drama seeks attention. Strategy earns influence.
One drains your energy. The other expands your opportunities.
You can be liked by everyone. Or trusted by the right ones.
You can feed conflict. Or forge connection.
In the course of my career, I learned that what you really need aren't more “work friends.”
You needed strategic relationships.
Framework:
No Gossip. Just Growth.
Here’s how I started building the kind of relationships that helped me rise… without getting pulled into drama:
Lead with curiosity, not opinion.
Instead of judging how others operated, I asked better questions. Curiosity builds connection faster than charm.Add value before you need it.
I started helping others quietly and early, so when it was my turn to ask for help, trust was already there.Stay neutral in the noise.
When gossip or conflict surfaced, I listened but didn’t participate. Drama thrives on attention. I refused to feed it.
Once I focused on building trust instead of popularity, everything changed.
I became known as someone who was steady, strategic, and safe to collaborate with.
That reputation opened more doors than any single project ever could.
Because in every organization, relationships are the real currency.
Takeaway
Survive the Politics. Win the Game.
I still remember the thin envelope I received in college.
No confetti. No congratulations.
Just a polite “We regret to inform you…”
I had the grades. The essays. The effort.
But someone else got in.
Back then, I took it personally. I thought merit alone was enough.
Years later, in my career, I saw the same thing happen again.
Hard-working people getting overlooked.
Promotions going to those who built trust, not just résumés.
That rejection taught me something essential:
Success isn’t just about credentials, it’s about connection.
Influence isn’t manipulation. It’s awareness.
It’s learning how people think, what they value, and how to move with clarity instead of emotion.
If you want to learn how to build strategic relationships, protect your reputation, and outmaneuver workplace drama, try this.
Resources:
The Ultimate Office Politics Playbook - this playbook will show you the strategies smart professionals use to move up, stay safe, and build influence... even in messy, political, or toxic environments.
Office Politics: How to Rise Above While Getting Ahead - in this video, Ginny Clarke shares proven strategies for engaging in office politics ethically, drawing on experience from Google and executive recruiting. The video emphasizes integrity, power dynamics, and positive influence.
Secrets to Winning at Office Politics - widely praised and frequently cited by professional development sources, this book provides clear tactics and frameworks for advancing your career, overcoming workplace obstacles, and playing the political game ethically.
ICYMI: Links to popular issues
👀 The Hidden Signals That Tell Your Boss You’re Ready for a Promotion
💪 Commandment #8: Systems beat willpower
🙋🏻♀️ How to Think on Your Feet The secret to thinking fast before speaking up
Career Ladder Intel:
Tech and internet sectors saw the sharpest contraction in global job postings, down 32% and 19% respectively. - Read more
The U.S. labor market is cooling sharply. Multiple private sources estimate lower hiring, with annual payroll growth slowing and unemployment benefits rising 10% in October. - Read more
Europe shows modest resilience. Job postings grew by 2.8% overall, led by France and the UK. Government support and ongoing digital investments may contribute to this countertrend - Read more
How did you like this issue?
To your success,
Dr. Lex ✍️
Founder, Career Ladder | The 6PM Method
DID YOU KNOW?
The “sin-eater” would eat bread over a corpse to absorb its sins in 18th-century Britain.
HEADS UP:
The kind of advice I wish I had 10 years ago: “How to Influence at Work Without Being Pushy or Manipulative” is coming next Sunday.
⭐️ I highly recommend you star this email or move it to your primary inbox so you don’t miss the next one. ⭐️
MISSION:
Career Ladder helps motivated professionals grow their career and income in half the time by sharing career strategies used by the top 1%.
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