Truth #1: HR works for the company, not for you. Document everything and protect yourself.

Truth #2: Titles don’t protect you from layoffs. VPs get cut too. Stay marketable.

Truth #3: Annual reviews are mostly a formality. Promotions and raises are decided months earlier. Manage your narrative all year.

Truth #4: Promotions go to the most visible, not the most qualified. If decision makers don’t see you, talent doesn’t matter.

Truth #5: Performance is not evaluated equally. Visibility is not distributed equally. Two people can deliver the same results and only one gets seen.

Truth #6: Overcommunication is a survival skill. If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. Own your narrative.

Truth #7: Your silence can be weaponized. Silence is assumed consent. Speak wisely but clearly.

Truth #8: Corporate memory is short. Past wins fade. Keep records and remind people often.

Truth #9: You are always being evaluated. Every meeting, email, and reaction sends a signal.

Truth #10: Busy does not equal productive. Impact beats activity every time.

Truth #11: Being liked is cute. Being trusted is power. Influence lives in respect, not approval.

Truth #12: Titles do not equal power. Access, relationships, and trust do.

Truth #13: Leaders are rewarded for short-term wins. Learn their incentives or get blindsided.

Truth #14: Managers manage up more than they lead down. Take control of your own growth.

Truth #15: Your co-workers are also your competition. It is not personal, it is structural. Stay aware.

Truth #16: Leadership gets lonelier the higher you go. Fewer allies, more politics. Build support outside your company.

Truth #17: Innovation is celebrated until it threatens the status quo. Disrupt strategically. Timing is everything.

Truth #18: Playing it safe is the biggest risk. Perfection kills momentum. Strategic boldness wins.

Truth #19: Culture fit often means fit in. If authenticity costs you opportunities, choose wisely.

Truth #20: Most corporate training is check-the-box. Real growth requires self-investment.

Truth #21: Emotional intelligence beats credentials. EQ gets you promoted. IQ just gets you hired.

Truth #22: Visibility does not stop at your org chart. Build an external brand or risk being invisible overnight.

Truth #23: The best opportunities are rarely posted. Real moves happen in back channels and referrals.

Truth #24: Your network is your net worth. Build relationships before you need them.

Truth #25: Your job is not your identity. Build a life and grow beyond your employer.