84. How to Outsmart a Micromanaging, Credit-Stealing, Gossip-Loving Boss
Release Date: 04/21/2025
Secrets of the Career Game
Networking isn’t just for job hunting — it’s the long-term career insurance policy that carries you through promotions, layoffs, and everything in between. And in a world of AI, real career decisions still rely on real people. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall Berg sits down with Catherine Fisher, LinkedIn’s career expert and author of the Career Companion newsletter, to unpack how authentic networking really works in 2025. Catherine shares why 75% of professionals still trust human insight over AI tools, why 63% turn to their colleagues and peers when making big...
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Corporate careers don’t offer the same safety net they once did. Pensions are gone, promotions are slow, and many roles feel like dead ends. That’s why more professionals are turning to side hustles—and Kendall Berg is one of them. In this episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall shares how she built a career coaching business while still working a demanding corporate job. She breaks down what it really takes to launch without waiting for the “perfect plan,” how one TikTok video changed everything, and the pricing mistakes that nearly burned her out. With candor and a bit of...
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Kendall Berg sits down with Kelly Poquiz Burke, a former Doritos brand manager who walked away from Super Bowl campaigns, corporate titles, and nonstop promotions to build a life that actually aligned with her values. Kelly’s story begins at the peak of success—meeting celebrities, managing billion-dollar brands, and collecting promotions—but underneath, she was burning out while holding it all together as a new mom and cancer survivor. In this conversation, Kelly explains why passion isn’t enough for lasting fulfillment, how over-identifying with your career keeps you stuck, and why...
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Most of us give our boss way too much credit — for the raise we didn’t get, the promotion we hoped for, or the recognition we thought was overdue. Kendall Berg pulls back the curtain to reveal the truth: your career outcomes are rarely decided by one person. Promotions, raises, and opportunities happen by committee, and your boss can’t advocate for you if they don’t even know what you’re doing. This episode digs into the four pillars of career growth: education, self-advocacy, networking, and communication. Kendall explains why reframing self-advocacy as “educating leadership”...
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Your calendar doesn’t cause burnout. It’s caused by your nervous system. After building multiple seven-figure businesses in her twenties, Dr. Nona Djavid found herself sobbing on the closet floor—exhausted, overwhelmed, and completely burned out. That breakdown became a breakthrough. She didn’t just change her habits—she rewired her subconscious and trained her nervous system to feel safe with rest, freedom, and abundance. Now, she helps high-achieving professionals do the same without quitting their jobs or blowing up their lives. In this episode, Kendall and Nona unpack the...
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“Just work hard and you’ll get promoted.” If you’ve heard this before and it still hasn’t worked out… Kendall’s here to tell you why. In this 100th episode of Secrets of the Career Game, Kendall calls BS on the most common career clichés that keep high-performers stuck and overlooked. From toxic loyalty traps to the myth of passion-driven success, this episode breaks down the 8 most mediocre pieces of advice—and replaces them with strategies that actually get you promoted, noticed, and respected. This is not a motivational pep talk. It’s your playbook for making smarter,...
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Most people say they're “too busy” before they’ve even checked their calendar. Michelle Niemeyer wants to change that. After burning out as a high-performing attorney (and landing in the hospital because of it), Michelle realized the problem wasn’t her productivity. It was her lifestyle. Her nervous system. Her goals. And the way she defined success. In this episode, she breaks down The Art of Bending Time, her framework that helps professionals stop spinning in circles and start building a life they want. Kendall and Michelle talk about everything from “goal clutter” to internal...
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Most people aren’t lazy—they’re just scared of being seen. Kendall Berg sits down with digital strategist and Slay the Gatekeeper founder Courtney Johnson to unravel the truth about personal branding in the age of LinkedIn, TikTok, and trolls. Spoiler alert: it’s not about going viral—it’s about getting honest. Courtney breaks down the emotional blocks that keep high achievers hiding their brilliance. From troll comments to visibility shame spirals, she gives us the cheat codes to show up online without losing our voice. Whether you’re in corporate or freelance, you’ll walk...
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Kendall Berg reveals the 5 planning habits that keep her from losing it—while balancing a corporate tech role, coaching business, content creation, pageant prep, and parenting two kids. If your to-do list never ends but your energy does, these five systems will shift how you manage your time, reduce mental load, and finally build a week that works. Kendall breaks down how to simplify your goals, design a weekly routine that honors your brain, and make space for what actually matters—without burning out or dropping the ball. In this episode, we discuss: What are the 5 planning habits...
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Berg interviews Milam Miller, the former AS Roma exec known as the real-life Ted Lasso, about the leadership superpower most people misunderstand: charisma. Milam breaks down his modern framework for connection, communication, and rizz—the kind that helps you lead across cultures, industries, and personalities. Drawing from his new book, The Charisma Craft – A Modern Leadership Guide to Enhance Your “Rizz”, he shares the six leadership archetypes you’ll want to know, plus the acronym that will help you end workplace gossip like a pro. Whether you’re a rising leader, a high...
info_outlineSome bosses are great. Others… force you into a game you never asked to play.
In this episode, Kendall Berg unpacks the real rules of surviving the workplace when you're dealing with toxic leadership—micromanagers, credit thieves, and internal gossip machines. Whether you're trying to manage up, navigate internal politics, or just stay sane in a dysfunctional team, Kendall gives you the scripts, mindset shifts, and tactical moves to stay in the game without selling your soul.
Learn how to stay visible without looking desperate, build your "network tree" to future-proof your next move, and why internal transfers might just be your secret career weapon. Because sometimes the issue isn’t you—it’s the broken org chart above you.
💡 Plus: Kendall shares how to create a regular update tracker, shut down gossip without drama, and leverage peers to escape your boss’s political tornado.
In this episode, we discuss:
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What should I do if my boss micromanages me?
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How do I get credit for my work when my boss steals it?
How do I manage toxic office politics without quitting? -
Should I leave or try for an internal transfer?
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What are signs my boss is sabotaging my career?
Pre-order Secrets of the Career Game (out May 13) to access exclusive resources, a private Slack group, and live Q&A sessions with Kendall.
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That Career Coach
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/
Build out the tools you need to navigate the corporate game: — Self Driven Mastermind