How To Survive Org Drama

Work getting political isn't new, but surviving it without derailing your career has never been more challenging. As organizations flatten and restructures accelerate, the instincts that used to work — push back, demand clarity, make noise — often backfire. In this episode, we answer five questions from people caught in reorgs, managing-up dynamics, and situations where the "obvious" move turns out to be the wrong one. Key topics: • What to do when leadership goes dark, and you can't tell if a reorg is coming • The stay-vs-go framework: when brand matters, when comp overrides it, and why short tenures are more common than most people think • The one question that puts your manager in an impossible position • How to navigate an underperforming direct manager • Why acting before a restructure is announced gives you a head start • How to build the relationships you'll need on a rainy day before you actually need them • What happens when VP sponsorship and calibration approval still aren't enough to get promoted • How to start fresh on a new team when you're leaving a dysfunctional one behind • The five-point playbook for navigating office politics without getting swept into them References: • Claude: https://www.claude.ai/ • Floodgate: https://www.floodgate.com • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/ • Meta: https://www.meta.com/ • OpenAI: https://www.openai.com/ Brought to you by: • Framer—Build websites with enterprise needs at startup speeds: https://framer.link/dFacxBQ • Customer.io—The customer engagement platform for human messaging: http://customer.io/skip Where to find Nikhyl: • Twitter/X: https://x.com/nikhyl • LinkedIn: Where to find Carly: • LinkedIn:   / carlymalatskey   • She Leads Podcast: https://www.sheleadspod.com/ • Twitter/X: https://x.com/carlymalatskey Join The Skip: • Skip Coach: https://skip.coach/ • Skip Community: https://skip.community/ Find The Skip: • Website: https://www.skip.community/ • Substack: https://theskip.substack.com/ • YouTube:    / @theskippodcast   • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4oT2rxM... • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:18 Why organizational politics are so top of mind 04:59 “Everything’s changing, and no one’s telling me anything” 06:35 The two common reasons behind radio silence 12:41 Tough conversations shouldn’t be your first conversations 15:05 Why confrontation isn’t always the answer 17:35 Avoid putting your manager in a defensive position 22:12 Why role tenure is more malleable than you think 26:18 When a company reorg shifts you into a new role 29:55 How modern is your skillset? 33:57 How to identify whether burnout is worth it 40:03 Is the cost of your ambition future regret? 45:12 How to deal with an underperforming manager 55:23 Leaving a dysfunctional team for a new one 59:14 Drive impact first, talk long-term goals second 1:02:06 Why managers respond positively to specific goals Don't forget to subscribe to The Skip to hear me coach you through timely career lessons. Access exclusive sessions from 100+ top product leaders at http://skip.coach. If you’re interested in joining me on a future call, send me a note on LinkedIn, Threads, or Twitter. You can also email me at [email protected]