What is *Mastering the Game* by Sharon E. Jones about?

*Mastering the Game* (2018) reveals unwritten corporate rules and strategies for women and professionals of color navigating white male-dominated workplaces. Co-authored by diversity consultant Sharon E. Jones and inclusion specialist Sudheer R. Poluru, it outlines 10 principles like intentional networking, self-promotion, and leveraging sponsorships to overcome systemic barriers and achieve career success.

Who should read *Mastering the Game*?

This book is essential for women, people of color, and allies seeking equitable career advancement in traditional corporate environments. It’s particularly relevant for mid-career professionals facing stagnation, DEI advocates, and managers aiming to foster inclusive workplace cultures.

Is *Mastering the Game* worth reading in 2025?

Yes—its insights into systemic workplace inequities remain timely, especially amid ongoing diversity initiatives and remote/hybrid work trends. The actionable strategies, like quantifying achievements and optimizing professional appearance, offer evergreen tools for marginalized professionals.

What are the 10 unwritten rules in *Mastering the Game*?

Key rules include: - **Success is intentional**: Proactively design career goals. - **Master the psychological game**: Navigate implicit biases. - **Metrics matter**: Quantify contributions for visibility. - **Network strategically**: Build cross-functional alliances. - **Secure sponsors**: Identify advocates with influence.

How does *Mastering the Game* address workplace appearance?

The book emphasizes that professional attire and demeanor directly impact perceptions of competence. For marginalized groups, polished appearance helps counter stereotypes, though Jones acknowledges this as an unfair burden. Practical tips include dressing for “the role you want” and mimicking leadership styles.

What networking strategies does Sharon E. Jones recommend?

Jones advocates for “purposeful proximity”: building relationships with decision-makers through cross-departmental projects, industry events, and mentorship programs. She warns against limiting networks to affinity groups, urging professionals to cultivate allies at all organizational levels.

How does *Mastering the Game* define career flexibility?

The book frames flexibility as adaptability to organizational shifts (e.g., mergers, leadership changes). Strategies include maintaining transferable skills, monitoring industry trends, and reassessing goals biannually to align with evolving opportunities.

What critiques exist about *Mastering the Game*?

While praised for actionable advice, some note the book places disproportionate responsibility on individuals to navigate systemic barriers. Critics suggest pairing its strategies with broader organizational DEI reforms for sustained impact.

Mastering the Game

Strategies for Career Success

Sharon E. Jones & Sudheer R. Poluru

3.83(12 Reviews)

Overview of Mastering the Game

Discover the unwritten rules of corporate success that often exclude diverse talent. "Mastering the Game" reveals how to navigate workplace politics, build strategic relationships, and transform self-promotion into career advancement - essential wisdom for breaking through invisible barriers while creating paths for future generations.

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Chapter 1

The Unwritten Rules of Success: Navigating the Game as a Diverse Professional

When nine-year-old Liz kept changing the rules of a game we were playing, I realized I could never win because I didn't understand how it worked. This perfectly mirrors the experience of women and people of color in corporate America-organizations created by white men that still operate by their cultural norms. Without understanding these unwritten rules, diverse professionals face severe disadvantages in advancement. "Mastering the Game" aims to level this playing field by revealing the foundational rules and operational strategies for success that I learned through trial and error and from several white male bosses who were true "Masters of the Game." These rules remain consistent across various sectors-legal, corporate, medical, and tech-where diversity gaps persist despite demographic shifts in the general population. As you climb the leadership ladder, remember that understanding these rules doesn't mean internalizing them as "right." The ultimate goal is to transform workplace cultures to be more inclusive. But first, you need to know how the game is played so you can win it-and then change it from within.

Chapter 2

The Diversity Landscape: An Uneven Playing Field

Across all industries, women and people of color remain dramatically underrepresented in leadership positions compared to U.S. population demographics. This underrepresentation becomes more pronounced at higher leadership levels, creating systemic barriers to advancement that diverse professionals must navigate strategically. In the legal sector, women make up 37.4% of lawyers but their representation drops sharply at partner level. People of color face even steeper challenges-Black partners represent just 1.8% and Hispanic partners only 2.4% of law firm leadership. The corporate sector shows similar disparities. When Ursula Burns stepped down as Xerox CEO in 2017, she was the first and only Black woman to ever lead a Fortune 500 company. That same year, women held only 6.4% of Fortune 500 CEO positions despite comprising half the U.S. population. The medical profession has achieved near gender parity in medical schools but maintains a striking $80,000 gender pay gap between male and female physicians. Meanwhile, the technology sector continues to struggle with diversity despite increased scrutiny-women fill less than a quarter of technical roles at major tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. Black professionals hold only 1-3% of technical and leadership positions despite representing 13% of the U.S. population. This disparity persists despite clear evidence that diverse teams create better solutions and generate greater financial returns. Research from Scott Page demonstrates how groups with diverse perspectives consistently outperform like-minded experts on complex tasks. Studies from McKinsey, Scientific American, and the International Monetary Fund all quantify the substantial value of diversity in the workplace. To succeed professionally, maintaining a positive mindset is crucial for staying motivated while facing both intentional and unintentional slights. Unconscious bias-the mental shortcuts we take that favor our own groups-creates a "rebuttable presumption of incompetence" where minorities must repeatedly prove their worth. Rather than feeling like a token, see yourself as adding unique value through your diverse perspective.

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Chapter 3

Success Is Intentional: Designing Your Future

Success doesn't happen by accident-it requires deliberate choices and strategic decision-making. Many successful people downplay their achievements as luck, but this mindset ignores the countless intentional decisions that shaped their path. The mental game is crucial; developing the right mindset means becoming an active participant rather than letting life happen to you. Implementing a success-is-intentional mindset requires two key steps: first defining what success means personally, then setting and meeting goals that serve as stepping-stones toward that vision. Success means different things to different people, and it's easy to adopt others' definitions based on wealth, fame, or power. Creating your own vision requires resisting external validation and superficial praise. Your definition should reflect what truly fulfills you, not what impresses others. A study of college students demonstrated how definitions of success shift with life circumstances. Freshmen prioritized grades (77%) and making new friends (56%), while seniors focused more on career preparation (65%) and maintaining existing friendships (42%). Similarly, in professional life, our priorities evolve as we move through different life stages. The conventional formula suggests "work harder to be more successful, then you'll be happier"-creating an ever-moving target as we constantly redefine success. Happiness researcher Shawn Achor proposes an alternative: prioritize happiness first, which leads to success. Studies in positive psychology demonstrate that a positive brain is 31% more productive than a negative, neutral, or stressed one-a phenomenon called the "happiness advantage." Creating your vision of success starts with asking where you want to be 5, 10, or even 20 years from now, then working backward to identify the steps needed to reach that destination. The S.M.A.R.T.E.R. framework provides a comprehensive approach to goal setting: Specific (detailed, concrete goals), Meaningful (why the goal matters to you), Achievable (dream big, plan realistically), Relevant (impacts core areas of life positively), Time-Bound (exact achievement date), Evaluate (reflect on progress), and Readjust (change approach based on evaluations). Research from Dominican University reveals that people with written goals achieve more than those with unwritten goals, and those who also commit to providing progress updates to friends achieve even more. Writing creates tangible proof of your goal, while accountability to others provides additional motivation. Rather than trying to make sense of our lives by looking backward and connecting dots in hindsight, we should flip the approach: start with our ideal life story, create an actionable plan to get there, and make decisions aligned with that vision.

Chapter 4

Master The Psychological Game: Building Mental Resilience

To achieve success, you must not only believe in yourself but also be prepared to face doubters along the way. This requires understanding two psychological concepts that diverse professionals often face-stereotype threat and self-fulfilling prophecy-and developing strategies for mental toughness. Stereotype threat occurs when you feel at risk of confirming negative stereotypes about your identity group. Studies show this effect dramatically impacts performance, even when stereotypes aren't explicitly stated. In professional settings, women and people of color face persistent negative stereotypes about their abilities and competence, creating a "rebuttable presumption of incompetence" where minorities must repeatedly prove their worth. When we begin to internalize negative stereotypes, our performance suffers, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. I once faced this when a supervisor claimed my writing was poor without specific feedback, despite following the same template as my colleagues. I recognized this as the "Blacks can't write" stereotype and refused to internalize it. Self-fulfilling prophecies arise from the connection between belief and behavior-positive beliefs lead to positive outcomes, negative beliefs to negative outcomes. To develop mental toughness, stay connected with other high-performing diverse people to counteract negative stereotyping and reduce isolation. Don't take things personally-many comments reflect stereotypes about your demographic group rather than you specifically. Maintaining objectivity allows better strategic thinking rather than emotional reactions. Beyond defensive mental strategies, you must play offense by signaling your high value. Never forget you bring unique experiences no one else offers. Women and people of color are often taught to dim their light, but this reinforces the perception of being average or below-average performers. Challenge these assumptions through your behavior and self-presentation. Successful "Originals" aren't inherently different-they've simply tried and failed more often, keeping only their best ideas. The key difference is expressing "idea doubt" (questioning if an idea is good enough) rather than "self-doubt" (questioning if you're good enough). While idea doubt motivates improvement, self-doubt paralyzes action. Executive presence consists of three components: gravitas (how you carry yourself), communication (how you articulate ideas), and appearance (looking the part). Gravitas manifests through nonverbal communication-your body language conveys powerful messages even without words. Clear, confident communication is essential but challenging, especially for women who are frequently interrupted. A 2017 study of Supreme Court oral arguments found male justices interrupt female justices far more often than vice versa. Receiving honest feedback from trusted sources is crucial for developing executive presence. Those with growth mindsets welcome constructive criticism rather than avoiding it. For women, feedback can be particularly challenging, as they often receive contradictory messages like "be feminine but not too feminine" and "assertive but not too assertive." Many diverse professionals become disillusioned about their odds of success and quit prematurely. Research reveals that significant percentages of professionals of color (21% of Hispanics, 29% of Asians, and 35% of Black/African Americans) don't believe someone of color will ever reach top leadership in their organization. Despite these challenges, remember your inherent value. With the right mindset and actions, you can achieve your vision.

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Chapter 5

The Numbers Matter: Understanding What's Measured

Understanding which metrics your organization values is crucial for professional advancement. While you should pursue your personal definition of success, you must also align your efforts with your organization's priorities to create win-win situations. Organizations evaluate employees based on specific objectives and metrics that aren't always obvious. "Hidden metrics" may exist where what matters to the organization seems trivial to you and vice versa. "Changing metrics" evolve as you climb the ladder-what determines success at one level may be different at the next. For example, law firm associates are evaluated on billable hours and work quality, while partners must also focus on business development. In professional services, billable hours serve as a proxy for experience level. If your company targets 2,400 annual hours and you bill only 1,200, you're considered half as experienced as peers who meet the target. The composition of your work matters too-client-related work is valued more highly than non-billable activities like writing articles or pro bono work. For senior positions, business development becomes increasingly important. Work containing errors damages your reliability. Even minor spelling and grammatical mistakes matter significantly-managers often assume that if you make errors on small things, you'll make them on big things too. These mistakes shape how colleagues view your work quality and can prevent you from receiving important projects. While organizations track objective metrics throughout the year, performance evaluations typically include both objective and subjective components. Research shows subjective performance ratings significantly impact career progression, affecting base pay, bonuses, promotions, and even dismissals. The challenge is that subjective evaluations can be influenced by unconscious bias, disproportionately affecting minority groups. Understanding your relative performance is essential-advancement requires not just doing well but ranking near the top of your peer group. If supervisors won't provide comparative information, consider forming an information-sharing group with peers. Time is our scarcest resource. Success requires focusing your limited time and energy on activities that most impact your performance evaluations and career advancement. Understanding the metrics that truly matter allows you to work smarter, not just harder.

Chapter 6

Actively Network: Building Your Professional Community

Building relationships is essential for long-term success. A Stanford study of MBA graduates revealed that "social extroversion" was the only consistent predictor of financial success across their careers-not GPA, test scores, or other personality traits. At its core, networking involves developing mutually beneficial relationships with people you like, creating a system where favors can be exchanged when needed. The world operates on relationships, especially in business. Who you know, who trusts you, and who owes you favors matters tremendously. Effective networking requires reciprocity-being willing to help others because you'll eventually need their assistance too. You can't build an effective network by constantly sitting at your desk. Relationships develop through various channels: workplace affinity groups, civic activities, professional associations, alumni networks, religious organizations, and even children's activities. After making initial connections, nurture relationships through regular communication-emails, calls, lunches, and shared activities. Strategic network building requires diversity across racial, sexual orientation, gender, and other lines of difference. Being recognized as an external player with connections across various networks increases your value within your organization. Your network should span industries and include people at all levels. Treating administrative staff with the same respect as executives is crucial-assistants control information flow and access to decision-makers. When building relationships, balance breadth (network size) and depth (relationship quality). Deep connections are more personally satisfying and more likely to result in favor exchanges. Technology has expanded our networks but weakened bonds-we average 200 social media friends but only 2 truly intimate confidants. Distinguish between personal and professional networks. Your personal network provides emotional support without scorekeeping, while professional connections operate on mutual exchange. Focus on quality over quantity, nurturing meaningful relationships rather than maintaining superficial ones. To become someone others want in their network, establish yourself as a "can-do" person rather than someone who frequently says no. Consistently delivering results, especially in difficult situations, builds your reputation as a "go-to" person. A network's value lies in members' willingness to help when needed. People grant favors either from kindness or, more commonly, because of reciprocity. When requesting assistance, offer help in return. You can build "favor banks" by offering unsolicited help to professional contacts, creating goodwill to draw upon later. A 1974 study titled "Getting a Job" found that while only 10% of respondents applied directly to employers, 56% leveraged personal connections-mostly acquaintances rather than close friends. These "weak ties" provided access to different social circles and information networks. Those with strong professional networks recovered more quickly from career disruptions like layoffs during economic downturns. For diverse professionals in white male-dominated spaces, networks can significantly reduce isolation. Building social support both within and outside work is essential, particularly with those who share identity characteristics. Research shows burnout affects 50% of professionals across sectors-twice the rate of 20 years ago-with exhaustion significantly correlating with loneliness. In networking, reciprocity is fundamental. Adam Grant categorizes people as Givers (generous without expectation), Takers (seeking more than they give), and Matchers (preferring equal exchanges). Counterintuitively, Givers finish both at the top and bottom of success metrics-they're most trusted and rise highest when strategic, but can burn out when surrounded by selfish people.

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Chapter 7

Recruit Mentors and Sponsors: Your Career Accelerators

Mentors and sponsors are essential career accelerators, though success is possible without them-just slower and more difficult. Mentors share valuable organizational knowledge that reduces mistakes and speeds cultural integration. Sponsors, positioned in power, can turbocharge careers by securing raises, high-profile assignments, and promotions. The key difference: mentoring relationships flow energy toward you with minimal reciprocation expected, while sponsorship requires delivering high-quality results as you become part of the sponsor's brand. Ideally, develop multiple mentors and sponsors both inside and outside your organization, creating a diverse personal board of advisers. You must proactively seek out both mentors and sponsors, as these relationships often develop organically between people with commonalities. Psychology calls this in-group bias or affinity bias-leaders see "mini-mes" in employees who resemble them and naturally nurture their potential. If you're part of an out-group, you'll need to put in extra effort to connect with colleagues and leadership. Internal mentors teach you the unwritten rules, company culture, and coded language of your workplace. They provide feedback on how you're viewed, help you identify key players, and connect you with their informal networks. External mentors offer objective, third-party perspectives on office politics and career aspirations. Select mentors of different races, genders, and backgrounds who view situations through different lenses. While mentors are valuable early in your career, sponsors become crucial as you advance to higher positions. The key difference is that sponsors have power and influence in "the room where it happens" and actively advocate for you. Historically, sponsorship helped white men fast-track to power positions through affinity-based trust. Today, men are still 46% more likely than women to have sponsors, and white professionals are 63% more likely than professionals of color. When seeking sponsors, focus on people with clout-typically two or more levels above you. Follow the "2 + 1 rule": attract two sponsors within your organization and one outside. Many professionals mistakenly believe they have sponsors when they merely have supporters. A supporter says nice things about you, but a sponsor puts their reputation on the line for you. Don't limit your sponsor search to leaders whose style you admire. Research shows 56% of women and 52% of multicultural professionals look for sponsors with leadership styles they admire, restricting their potential sponsor pool. Focus on finding sponsors with power and influence regardless of their leadership style. Unfortunately, women face additional challenges finding sponsors, as these are often older men in positions of power. The relationship between older men and younger women can lead to speculation about affairs. Research confirms that most people avoid one-on-one interactions with the opposite sex-60% of women and 48% of men find drinks inappropriate, while 53% of women and 45% of men consider one-on-one dinners inappropriate. This avoidance disproportionately hurts women, who have fewer opportunities to build relationships with male leaders. Being an excellent mentee or protege is crucial for successful mentoring relationships. With mentors, clearly communicate what you hope to gain from each conversation. For sponsors, exceed expectations and be reliable with a "can-do" attitude. When sponsors make requests, step up and help them, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. Mentoring and sponsoring are relationships, not activities. Ensure they function as two-way streets where you give as well as receive. The giving doesn't necessarily involve money-gratitude and paying it forward by mentoring others, particularly underrepresented individuals, can be more valuable.

Chapter 8

Invest In Your Professional Appearance: Looking The Part

Before we speak, our appearance makes an impression. As a visibly diverse person, you stand out more, and your appearance is scrutinized for clues about whether you "fit" the culture. Colleagues may judge your professionalism and social class by how you dress. Different industries have different dress standards. The fashion industry values trendy, even eccentric styles. Millennial startups embrace casual attire where suits might mark you as uptight rather than innovative. This section focuses on professional settings where business or business casual is the norm. Professional dress codes vary by workplace, but certain items are generally considered inappropriate: flip-flops, visible piercings and tattoos, long fingernails, overly tight or loose clothing, low-cut tops, halter tops, short skirts, exposed midriffs, and shorts. These definitions can be subjective, so look to people one or two levels above you as indicators of cultural expectations. Many companies use vague terms like "business casual" without explicit dress codes. When navigating this spectrum, err toward the business side rather than casual. Don't use the lowest common denominator as your guide-avoid blue jeans, leggings, or gym shoes just because others wear them. Dressing professionally affects your subconscious and boosts your confidence. Use senior colleagues as your style guide, deferring to the majority rather than outliers with unique fashion sense. While Mark Zuckerberg may wear jeans and t-shirts, COO Sheryl Sandberg dresses more professionally. Emulate your superiors' level of professional appearance within your budget constraints. Professional appearance in today's business casual world requires careful navigation. Business casual combines two traditionally distant elements on the dress spectrum, creating ambiguity. Define a business casual wardrobe appropriate for your workplace but with a slight upgrade. Dressing well boosts self-confidence and signals higher status, as people continuously scan for context clues about authority. Beyonce exemplifies exceptional image management-you rarely find unflattering images of her in media. While her reported $1 million annual investment in hair, makeup, and self-care isn't necessary for everyone, her attention to detail offers valuable lessons. The higher you rise organizationally, the more visible you become, making looking the part crucial for advancement. Dressing professionally doesn't mean losing self-expression. When everyone wears similar attire, color becomes a key differentiator. However, while color variation isn't taboo in corporate culture, wearing loud colors-especially multiple at once-can make you stand out negatively. Research shows that clothing affects cognitive performance-people wearing what they believed was a doctor's coat made fewer mistakes than those told they were wearing a painter's coat. For diverse professionals facing assumptions they're less skilled than white male counterparts, dressing professionally disrupts negative stereotypes. Being dressed like a leader helps others see you as one. Beyond appearance, how you speak English and your accent serve as status proxies in the United States. Everyone has an accent, whether from learning English as a second language or regional variations within America. U.S. workplace culture favors certain accents, particularly the neutral Midwest American accent. Strong accents that make English difficult to understand can limit professional opportunities. Phone interviews often serve as comprehension tests, with candidates eliminated if their accent impedes understanding. Consider speech therapy or accent reduction training if your accent is hindering career advancement. Professional appearance means looking and sounding the part. While the right look won't automatically secure top positions, unprofessional presentation may prevent deserved advancement.

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Chapter 9

Strategically Self-Promote: Owning Your Narrative

Self-promotion is not just acceptable but essential for professional success. As Muhammad Ali famously said, "It's not bragging if you can back it up." Strategic self-promotion is a deliberate practice required for career advancement. Think of yourself as a celebrity building a personal brand within your organization. Begin with a S.W.O.T. analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), then use your strengths and opportunities to create your professional image. Only release information consistent with that image-share your victories, not your insecurities. Effective image management requires both disseminating positive information and gathering feedback about your current reputation. Don't assume you know how you're perceived-find out what people say when you're not in the room. Look for patterns in feedback rather than focusing on outliers. Most people avoid self-promotion because they were never taught how to do it properly. Rather than obnoxiously seeking attention, effective self-promotion means authentically owning and sharing your accomplishments. Here are practical strategies for effective self-promotion: 1. Secure Your Insecurities: Identify trusted people outside your organization with whom you can discuss weaknesses and problems. Schedule regular check-ins with them so you have a designated time and place to vent. 2. Keep a Folder of Accomplishments: Create an electronic or physical folder documenting all positive feedback and achievements. This collection becomes invaluable during performance evaluations. 3. Accept Compliments Graciously: Instead of downplaying recognition, simply say "Thank you. I appreciate the feedback." 4. Receive Credit For Your Work: When others receive credit for your contributions, speak up and ensure recognition. Highlighting your value-added work doesn't conflict with being a team player. 5. Loop in Your Boss: Don't wait for performance reviews to showcase your accomplishments. Proactively keep your supervisor updated on your progress and achievements through regular check-ins. 6. Participate in Company Events: Company events build your personal brand and strengthen relationships with colleagues. For women in male-dominated spaces and people of color, attendance is particularly important to demonstrate cultural fit. 7. Form Self-Promotion Partnerships: If self-promotion feels uncomfortable, partner with colleagues for mutual promotion. Have explicit conversations about reciprocally highlighting each other's accomplishments. 8. Elevate Your Small Talk: Transform everyday interactions into self-promotion opportunities by preparing a concise elevator pitch about your current projects. 9. Know Your Audience: Tailor your self-promotion by understanding your audience. While some accomplishments impress universally, specialized achievements should be selected based on what resonates with specific listeners. 10. Say No... Because: As your reputation grows, more work requests will come your way. Learn to decline strategically by explaining your current high-priority commitments. 11. Create a Bio, Resume, and Social Media Profile That Speak for You: Your written content promotes you without requiring verbal self-promotion. Ensure your bio, resume, and social media profiles consistently reflect your professional brand. In the absence of information, people default to assumptions and stereotypes. For diverse professionals, self-promotion actively counters negative stereotypes by presenting contradictory evidence. Effective self-promotion isn't about ego-it's about proudly sharing your hard-earned accomplishments and taking ownership of your professional narrative.

Chapter 10

Be Mindful of Work-Life Integration: Sustaining Success

Success requires pacing yourself for a marathon, not sprinting to exhaustion. Finding meaningful work that "feeds your soul" transforms labor from draining to energizing. The key to sustainable achievement lies not in working constantly but in building resilience through proper recovery between intense work periods. Recovery comes in two essential forms: internal recovery (short breaks during workdays) and external recovery (longer breaks outside work hours). Internal breaks help prevent immediate fatigue but aren't sufficient for full recovery, especially from mentally demanding work. External recovery-evenings, weekends, holidays-allows complete recharging. Two common excuses for avoiding vacations are debunked: "It's not the right time" ignores that work is never-ending, while "taking time off shows lack of commitment" contradicts research showing vacation-takers are 6.5% more likely to receive promotions. The recovery matrix divides well-being strategies into four essential categories: 1. Work Your Butt Off, But Don't Work On Your Butt: Research shows sitting for six or more hours daily significantly increases mortality risk. Take hourly walking breaks, use technology reminders to move, choose stairs over elevators, keep healthy snacks accessible, and stay hydrated throughout the day. 2. Find Ways To Make Work Fun: When work becomes draining, incorporate enjoyable elements rather than just enduring it. Take short breaks for creative thinking, organize social events with colleagues, and transform business travel into opportunities for exploration. 3. Practice Self-Care Like An Athlete: Treat your body as professional athletes do-prioritize nutrition, exercise, and 7-8 hours of sleep. The book "Younger Next Year" distinguishes between inevitable aging and preventable decay, recommending six weekly exercise sessions to combat physical deterioration. 4. Use Down Time To Reflect And Connect: Research shows silence restores the nervous system, stabilizes cardiovascular functions, and promotes brain cell development in regions associated with learning and memory. Mindfulness meditation particularly helps maintain cognitive and emotional resilience during high-stress periods. Time is finite, but you can pay to free up hours in your week. Research across multiple countries shows that money spent to free up time promotes happiness more effectively than spending on material goods. Consider delegating household chores like cleaning, organizing paperwork, grocery shopping, or meal preparation. Ensure household responsibilities are equitably balanced, especially for women who typically shoulder more housework and childcare. A survey by LeanIn.Org and McKinsey found that only 34% of women who do the majority of housework aspire to executive positions, compared to 43% of women who share duties evenly with partners. Romantic relationships at work may seem efficient when both parties work long hours and have work in common, but they're extremely risky for your career and reputation. Avoid romantic or sexual relationships with colleagues, bosses, clients, and vendors/suppliers. How you spend time outside the office determines your ability to play the long game. Stay connected with friends and family. Keep your body healthy through exercise. Give your brain opportunities to relax from workplace stress. Nurture your creative side through art galleries, movies, writing, and reading for pleasure. Take vacations-the longer the better.

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Chapter 11

Become A Power Player and Pay It Forward

Power Players are highly regarded professionals who reliably deliver results and embody a winning attitude. They're the "go-to" people and star performers who get tapped first for promotions and leadership positions. Following the previous rules-producing excellent work, hitting your numbers, networking effectively, finding mentors, maintaining a sharp appearance, and strategic self-promotion-establishes you as an internal Power Player. Increasing your standing outside your organization can enhance your internal reputation. While traditionally professionals rise through internal ranks before taking external positions, you can flip this script by using external status to negotiate greater internal responsibilities. Outside activities offer more control over developing specific skills than internal assignments might. Seek public visibility through bar associations, non-profits, civic boards, or trade associations. Don't just join mailing lists-speak on panels, join leadership committees, sit on advisory boards, and become a visible face of these organizations. Build a credible reputation as a "go-to" person while keeping your reputation impeccable. When your job doesn't fully satisfy you despite good pay and benefits, external activities can provide fulfillment. While work must come first, outside interests can utilize talents your job doesn't engage. Treat external commitments with the same seriousness as work responsibilities. Your reputation follows you everywhere, and failing to honor commitments damages it. As you establish yourself as a Power Player and achieve your goals, it's essential to give back to the next generation of professionals. Regardless of your position, you have power as an organizational insider. Share job openings with qualified people in your network, prepare friends for interviews, and provide references. These simple acts help recruit diverse candidates from non-traditional sources, making your company more inclusive over time. Help create a pipeline of diverse candidates by interviewing, recruiting, and encouraging HR to broaden their recruitment scope. Mentor diverse professionals regardless of whether they share your background. Help new hires navigate unwritten company rules and vouch for them based on observed performance. Leverage your Power Player status to direct your organization's charitable giving and community service toward causes you care about. Create lasting relationships between your company and not-for-profits by establishing recurring donations. Adopt the "See Something, Say Something" approach when witnessing workplace injustice. Whether filing an HR complaint or directly addressing offensive comments, you can make your office culture more inclusive and equitable. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends."

Chapter 12

Maintain Career Flexibility: Preparing for Change

No matter how skillfully you navigate your career, you'll inevitably face adverse events-mergers undoing years of progress, leadership shakeups resetting your position, or hostile environments due to harassment or discrimination. Success requires vigilance for trouble signs and strategic thinking about your career path. Always engage with executive search firms when they call, even when you're content in your current role. These firms work on retainer for organizations seeking talent, not directly for you. By being responsive and helpful-even assisting them in finding candidates for positions you're not interested in-you build relationships that keep you informed about market opportunities. Keep your LinkedIn profile current as recruiters increasingly use it to identify potential candidates. Carefully manage your broader social media presence, as HR departments routinely research candidates online. Ensure all your accounts project professionalism, and be vigilant about photos friends may post that could undermine your image. Instead of viewing your resume as a box that limits your career options, see it as a collection of transferable skills that can open doors to new industries and roles. After years as a federal prosecutor, I had to reframe my criminal law skills for civil practice, recognizing that writing and public speaking abilities are universally valued. When facing career setbacks, strategic action is crucial. After a bad performance review, either find a powerful advocate willing to give you a second chance or consider moving laterally to rebuild your reputation elsewhere. If your sponsor leaves, try following them or convert them to a mentor while seeking new sponsors. In hostile work environments with sexual harassment or racism, utilize HR resources or consider legal options, but don't remain in a situation that damages your self-esteem. Beyond workplace challenges, positive life events like a partner's job relocation or expanding your family may prompt career changes. When leaving an organization, always depart on good terms, work diligently until your last day, and avoid burning bridges during exit interviews. Your reputation follows you, and maintaining positive relationships keeps doors open for future opportunities. Life's inevitable changes serve as natural inflection points to reassess your goals. Take time to reflect on your definition of success and update your plan accordingly. Keep a journal to process experiences and extract valuable lessons from them. Now that you know the rules, pursue what you want while enjoying each step of the journey. While workplace cultures are slowly becoming more inclusive, diverse professionals still face an uneven playing field dominated by White male culture. By mastering these rules, you can rise to leadership positions where you'll have the power to create more multicultural and equitable workplaces for those who follow.

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Key Themes in Mastering the Game

unwritten corporate rules
workplace diversity strategy
navigating unconscious bias
intentional career design
inclusive leadership development

Quotes from Mastering the Game

Without understanding these unwritten rules, diverse professionals face severe disadvantages in advancement.
Understanding these rules doesn't mean internalizing them as "right."
Success doesn't happen by accident-it requires deliberate choices and strategic decision-making.
Prioritize happiness first, which leads to success.
Don't take things personally-many comments reflect stereotypes about your demographic group rather than you specifically.

Characters in Mastering the Game

Sharon E. JonesAuthor and professional sharing success strategies
Sudheer R. PoluruCo-author of the book
Ursula BurnsFormer Xerox CEO and case study in leadership
Scott PageResearcher on the value of diverse perspectives
Shawn AchorHappiness researcher and positive psychology expert

About the Author

Sharon E. Jones & Sudheer R. Poluru are the authors of Mastering the Game: Career Strategies for Success, a career development guide offering actionable strategies for women and professionals of color navigating corporate environments. Jones, a Harvard Law School graduate and CEO of Jones Diversity, Inc., draws from her 25-year career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Fortune 500 corporate counsel, and diversity consultant. Poluru, an MBA candidate at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, contributes his expertise as an inclusion specialist at Jones Diversity.

Their book unravels unwritten workplace rules and systemic barriers, informed by Jones’s leadership roles at the Chicago Urban League and federal courts, as well as her acclaimed report The City in Crisis.

Jones’s work has been recognized with awards like the Chicago Bar Association’s Breaking Barriers Award, and her frameworks are used in corporate training programs nationwide. Mastering the Game consolidates decades of institutional knowledge from their consultancy, providing readers with tools to advance in male-dominated industries. The book’s pragmatic approach has made it a resource for leadership development initiatives and MBA curricula.

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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

LOVED BY

1,000,000+ curious minds.

4.7

avg rating

1M+ learners

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

See more on how BeFreed is discussed

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Chapter 8

Mastering the Game

OverviewOverview of Mastering the Game

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Unwritten Rules of Success: Navigating the Game as a Diverse Professional

The Diversity Landscape: An Uneven Playing Field

See every word as you hear it

Success Is Intentional: Designing Your Future

Master The Psychological Game: Building Mental Resilience

Get more out of Mastering the Game

The Numbers Matter: Understanding What's Measured

Actively Network: Building Your Professional Community

See every word as you hear it

Recruit Mentors and Sponsors: Your Career Accelerators

Invest In Your Professional Appearance: Looking The Part

Get more out of Mastering the Game

Strategically Self-Promote: Owning Your Narrative

Be Mindful of Work-Life Integration: Sustaining Success

See every word as you hear it

Become A Power Player and Pay It Forward

Maintain Career Flexibility: Preparing for Change

You made it to the end of Mastering the Game

Key Themes in Mastering the Game

Quotes from Mastering the Game

Characters in Mastering the Game

About the Author

Download Summary of Mastering the Game

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FAQs About This Book

What is Mastering the Game by Sharon E. Jones about?

Who should read Mastering the Game?

Is Mastering the Game worth reading in 2025?

What are the 10 unwritten rules in Mastering the Game?

Part of a Learning Plan

Advance My Career

Discover more

1,000,000+ curious minds.

1,000,000+ curious minds.

One book. Many ways to hear it.

The Unwritten Rules of Success: Navigating the Game as a Diverse Professional

The Diversity Landscape: An Uneven Playing Field

See every word as you hear it

Success Is Intentional: Designing Your Future

Master The Psychological Game: Building Mental Resilience

Get more out of Mastering the Game

The Numbers Matter: Understanding What's Measured

Actively Network: Building Your Professional Community

See every word as you hear it

Recruit Mentors and Sponsors: Your Career Accelerators

Invest In Your Professional Appearance: Looking The Part

Get more out of Mastering the Game

Strategically Self-Promote: Owning Your Narrative

Be Mindful of Work-Life Integration: Sustaining Success

See every word as you hear it

Become A Power Player and Pay It Forward

Maintain Career Flexibility: Preparing for Change

You made it to the end of Mastering the Game

Users also liked

Part of a Learning Plan

Advance My Career

Discover more

Overview of Mastering the Game