296: Office Politics for Women Who Hate Office Politics

Office politics. Just reading those words probably made you want to click away — and that reaction is exactly why this episode exists.   If you're a high-achieving woman in tech who has built your career on results, integrity, and doing excellent work, the idea of navigating office politics probably feels like a compromise. Like you'd be becoming someone you don't recognise.   But here's what nobody says out loud: not engaging with office politics is itself a political choice. And for most high-performing women in tech leadership, it's one that is quietly costing them promotions, visibility, and influence — regardless of how good their work is.   In this episode, Executive Coach Dr Toni Collis breaks down the critical distinction between the toxic version of office politics (which you should absolutely avoid) and the strategic, integrity-consistent leadership work of building influence, visibility, and advocates — which most high-achieving women have been avoiding along with it.   This is not about becoming a different person. It's about leading fully in the organisation you're actually in.   What you'll learn in this episode: ⏹ Why we as high-achieving women often resist office politics — and the specific career cost of that resistance ⏹ The two completely different things most women are calling "office politics" — and why separating them changes everything ⏹ Five practical moves for building influence and strategic visibility without compromising your values ⏹ How to build advocates (not just allies) who speak up for you in the rooms you're not in ⏹ The integrity check that tells you whether you're building genuine influence or drifting into game-playing   Links and resources mentioned: ⏹ Take the Office Politics Quiz for Women in Tech: tonicollis.com/resources/office-politics-quiz  ⏹ Book a strategy call: tonicollis.com/lets-chat/  ⏹ Learn more about building your advocates: Episode 292 — From Tactical to Strategic: The Unspoken Rules for Women in Tech Stepping Into Executive Leadership ⏹ Learn more about communication: Episode 243 — Struggling to Be Heard? Master Leadership Communication Strategies and Coach Upwards If this episode resonated, please leave a review and share it with a woman in tech who needs to hear this conversation.   Chapters: 00:00 — The coaching conversation that changed everything  01:15 — What this episode is and isn't about  03:08 — Why high-achieving women avoid office politics — and what it's costing them  09:44 — What navigating office politics with integrity actually looks like: three core reframes  18:49 — Five moves that build influence and strategic visibility without selling out  19:12 — Move 1: Map the landscape before you need it  21:25 — Move 2: Invest in relationships before you need them  24:33 — Move 3: Make your impact visible — strategically, not constantly  27:31 — Move 4: Learn to read the room and the organisation  30:15 — Move 5: Build advocates, not just allies  34:22 — The integrity check: how to know you're building influence, not playing games  37:39 — The Office Politics Playbook for Women in Tech Related episodes: ⏹ Episode 112 — If You Don't Openly Celebrate Your Achievements, Who Will? ⏹ Episode 228 — Mastering Your Value: Strategies to Stop Underselling Yourself ⏹ Episode 243 — Struggling to Be Heard? Master Leadership Communication Strategies and Coach Upwards ⏹ Episode 256 — No More Crickets: The Networking Strategy That Lands Jobs in 2025 ⏹ Episode 276 — Busy Does Not Equal Valuable: How to Prioritise Work That Gets You Promoted