Secrets of the Career Game

Hosted by Kendall Berg - That Career Coach

Business Careers

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Episodes

159

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Do you want to know a secret? The corporate world is a game: one laden with cleverly hidden and unspoken rules that most employees don't know they are playing. On this show, we help you peek behind the curtain to understand the corporate game and set yourself up for accelerate growth and progression.

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60 recent

August 17, 202627 min

151. The Productivity Lie That's Destroying High Achievers with Sade Kelly

Time management for high achievers fails when every available hour becomes another opportunity to take on more. My Ideal Weekly Schedule Guide Now https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-my-ideal-weekly-schedule-guide-now High achievers often confuse capability with capacity — then wonder why their demanding workload leaves them exhausted. On Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall Berg asks Sade Kelly how ambitious professionals can stop planning around available hours and start planning around energy, priorities, and realistic capacity. Sade reframes time management for high achievers: why completing more tasks doesn't equal meaningful productivity, and why burnout often comes not from doing too much, but from spending too long on work that feels misaligned. Kendall and Sade break down a weekly planning system, themed days, and three core routines — a productivity system built to protect your energy at work, build high performance habits, and keep you productive without burning out. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_ About Sade Kelly: I'm Sade Kelly, the CEO & Founder of The Fire Inside, a high-performance coaching company that helps high-achieving women reclaim 10+ hours a week to grow their careers and businesses, stay consistent, and make space for what matters most—without burning out. Website: https://thefireinsidesade.com/ Instagram: @sadekelly_

August 10, 202634 min

150. Your Boss Has No Idea How Much You Do with Kelley Nolan

Is your calendar telling the truth about your workload — or are you silently drowning in invisible tasks? My Ideal Weekly Schedule Guide Now https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-my-ideal-weekly-schedule-guide-now Most professionals plan their day as if eight hours equals eight productive hours. It doesn't. That mismatch is why capable people keep overcommitting, drowning in meetings, and fearing that saying "no" makes them look weak. On this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall Berg sits down with time-management strategist Kelly Nolan, creator of the Bright Method — a calendar-first system that makes invisible work visible, protects your focus time, and gives you the data to push back strategically. "If it doesn't fit in the hours of the day, you are objectively trying to do too much. And that's just the end of it." In this episode: How to measure your real capacity (hint: your calendar is lying to you) Why an eight-hour workday rarely holds eight productive hours How to tell your boss you have too much work — without looking incapable The meeting audit that frees up hours of focus time every week Why saying no, backed by data, is leadership — not weakness What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_ About Kelley Nolan: Website: https://kellynolan.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_kellynolan_/

August 3, 2026Episode 14924 min

149. 5 Rules That Keep My Week From Falling Apart

An overwhelming workload requires clearer priorities, protected capacity, and a realistic schedule—not simply more hours or faster work. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall Berg shares five practical workload-management strategies for busy professionals: How to use a daily Top Three Why stopping can be better than constantly adding more tasks How day blocking can work better than traditional time blocking How to plan your week before work takes over How to schedule important work around your energy How to protect your capacity and push back on unrealistic requests You'll learn how to prioritize tasks at work, reduce mental load, manage competing demands, and recognize when your workload is genuinely impossible. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_

July 27, 202628 min

148. Why You're Afraid of Getting Fired (Even Though You're the Best Performer)

You climbed the ladder. You hit the goals. So why do you still check your phone at 2 AM, terrified it'll all disappear? High-achiever burnout doesn't look like exhaustion — it looks like success with a side of constant anxiety. FREE Communication Guide Now: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/thatcareercoach_funnel Anna Wojtowicz joins Kendall Berg on Secrets of the Corporate Game, together they break down why your ambition might be running on survival mode and how to succeed without abandoning yourself. Anna Wojtowicz, creator of the "ambition rooted in wholeness" framework, explains why high-achieving professionals often experience burnout, anxiety, and a persistent fear of failure despite outward success. In this conversation, you'll learn: How to tell if your ambition is actually "survival mode" in disguise Why success feels empty even after hitting every goal Nervous system regulation techniques that stop the burnout cycle The difference between fear-based ego thoughts and genuine intuition How to build a career that doesn't cost you your health or identity Anna's approach bridges psychology, nervous system science, and practical thought-sorting strategies — designed for high performers who are tired of winning on paper while losing themselves in the process. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_

July 20, 20268 min

147. High Achievers Who Make Work Their Identity Always Hit This Wall

Why do high performers get so defensive, reactive, and emotionally raw at work? It's not a personality flaw — it's what happens when your job becomes your entire identity. When you're a high achiever, every piece of feedback can feel like an attack, every mistake feels catastrophic, and every friction with a coworker feels deeply personal. This is burnout in its earliest form — and it's an identity problem, not a workload problem. Career coach Kendall Berg breaks down the three ways emotional fusion with your job shows up (defensiveness, inability to disconnect, and workplace friction), then lays out a practical three-part framework for building emotional distance at work: → The three types of hobbies that create genuine separation (physical, mental/creative, and people-focused) → How to curate an intentional "Board of Directors" instead of relying on casual friendships for perspective → How to write a 3-word personal identity statement that grounds you in who you are — not your job title This episode is for any high performer who's noticed their career has quietly taken over their sense of self and is ready to build something more sustainable. By the end, you'll have a concrete framework to protect your performance at work without letting it define who you are Get my FREE Communication Guide Now: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/thatcareercoach_funnel .

July 13, 2026Episode 14619 min

146. How I Stopped Working 24/7 and Finally Got Noticed as a Leader

I worked 24/7 thinking it would get me promoted. It did the opposite. Here's how slowing down made leadership finally notice me — and how you can do the same. High performers are often the worst at one thing: rest. We wear busy like a badge of honor, convinced that constant productivity is the path to career growth. But here's what nobody tells you — career progression requires strategic thinking, vision, and influence. When you're buried in tasks, you have zero space for any of it. In this episode, I share exactly how I went from working around the clock to creating the space that got me noticed as a leader no burnout, no career sacrifice. 🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS • Rest is not laziness — it's a strategic career move • Solo-tasking creates the focus that multitasking destroys • Leaders notice people who think, not just people who do • High performers need pursuits that aren't measured by output 💬 What's the one thing you feel guilty about when you stop working? Drop it in the comments — I read every one. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_

July 6, 2026Episode 14530 min

145. Your Job Title Is Not Your Identity with Katy Culver

Kendall Berg and Katy Culver challenge the job title identity trap that keeps high performers tied to outdated roles, titles, and versions of success. If your career identity is built around overworking, control, weak boundaries, or proving your value through corporate achievement, professional growth starts to feel harder than it needs to. Katy explains how future self work and the "I'm the type of person who…" framework can create a real identity shift before your next big move. This episode is for anyone ready to separate who they are from what they do, make stronger career decisions, and grow into the career, business, and life they actually want. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_

June 22, 2026Episode 1447 min

144. How to Play the Corporate Game: The Strategy That Actually Gets You Promoted

Hard work alone won't get you promoted; here's what actually drives career progression. If you've been overlooked, passed over, or stuck wondering why your boss keeps choosing someone else, this video breaks down the real rules of how to get promoted at work. Kendall Berg explains why your career is a game, and pretending the corporate rules don't exist only keeps you playing small. You'll learn: → Why workplace visibility matters more than delivering more work → How to communicate your impact so leadership remembers you → The difference between having colleagues and having advocates → How difficult conversations change your career trajectory → What actually earns trust as a leader (beyond technical skill) This is the career strategy shift you need before your next promotion cycle. What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_

June 15, 2026Episode 14334 min

143. Your Career Is Bigger Than One Bad Job with That Corporate Lawyer, Henry Nelson-Case

Sometimes the job is not the problem. The problem is that we let one role become our identity, our confidence, and our entire sense of security. Henry Nelson-Case, who shares workplace and legal humor online as That Corporate Lawyer, joins me to talk about career confidence, workplace mental health, and why leaving a bad job can feel so terrifying. If you feel stuck, over-attached to your title, or afraid to advocate for yourself at work, this one is for you. Inside this episode • Why your job should not become your identity • How to know when you have stayed too long • Why being hired once means you can get hired again • How to advocate for yourself before burnout hits • Why a side hustle can create emotional freedom • How leaders can better support junior employees What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? 🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_

June 8, 202630 min

142. My Husband Spent 13 Years in Corporate Sales — Here's What He Taught Me About the Rules No One Share

Most professionals think selling yourself at work means bragging. A career sales executive says that's exactly wrong. Kendall Berg sits down with her husband, David Berg, a sales executive with 13+ years at AT&T, to break down how to play the corporate game, build executive presence, and communicate your value without feeling fake. In this episode: • Why "selling yourself" is actually about listening, not talking • The 9-box framework leaders use to evaluate you (and where you land) • How to reverse-engineer a career conversation so it lands where you need it to • Why storytelling builds more credibility than any credential • The scariest career move David ever made — and why it paid off This episode is for ambitious corporate professionals who want to get promoted, build leadership presence, and stop being the best-kept secret at work. Play the Career Game On Your Terms: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/3-months-of-group-coaching What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way? About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game , she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress. ☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach? Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_ Watch on YouTube: @thatcareercoach_