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This Chief Product Officer Was Stuck… Until She Learned to Play Corporate Politics (Yue Zhao)
Apr 1, 2025
Yue Zhao, a former PM at Meta and Instagram and founder of The Uncommon Executive, shares her journey from feeling overlooked to mastering corporate politics. She discusses the realization that hard work alone doesn’t guarantee promotions. Instead, she emphasizes the importance of building influence and strategically framing her goals. Yue also addresses challenges in early startup roles and the significance of relationships in career advancement, revealing how understanding workplace dynamics can lead to leadership success.
01:12:42
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Quick takeaways
- Yue Zhao emphasizes that understanding and engaging with workplace politics is essential for achieving career advancement, particularly for women and minorities.
- She highlights the importance of building influence and strategic relationships, which are as crucial as technical skills for career success.
Deep dives
Navigating Tech Politics
The podcast discusses the often-overlooked reality of politics within the tech industry, challenging the common perception of a pure meritocracy. The speaker, Yui Zhao, emphasizes that understanding and engaging with the political landscape is crucial for success, especially for women and minority leaders aiming for C-suite positions. As a former product executive and now an executive coach, Zhao shares her insights into how navigating politics can significantly impact one’s career trajectory. This perspective encourages leaders to acknowledge the existence of politics rather than deny its influence.
