It's Time To Get Political.

Let's talk about power.

Not leadership power. Not empowerment. But power. The uncomfortable kind. The kind that determines who gets noticed, who gets promoted, and who gets passed over despite exceptional work. The politics of your career.

Now pause. Notice how you're feeling. If our opening paragraph made you tense up — if something in it makes you want to click away — this article is for you.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Value 

We've spent decades studying and advising on careers. And here's what we know: when it comes to a successful career, performance is king. Or queen. But — and this is where it gets uncomfortable — you don't decide whether you're a high performer. Other people do. Value isn't what you put in. It's what others perceive you deliver. And if you don't know who those others are, you're flying blind. Most professionals pour themselves into their work and assume the quality will be self-evident. It won't. Not because the work isn't good. But because your value is being assessed — and that person doing the assessing may not be who you think. So the real question isn't "Am I creating value?" It's “who are your value receivers, and what do they need?” 

Map Your Stakeholders (Yes, All of Them) 

Here's an exercise from our book Move Up or Move On. It's deceptively simple. Brainstorm a list of every person who touches your work or is impacted by it. Think expansively. This isn't just your manager. It includes the people who receive your output and depend on it. The people who rate it. The people who make decisions about you — directly or indirectly. Internal and external. Upstream and downstream. Most people stop at four or five names. Push yourself to ten. You'll be surprised at how many value receivers you may have been ignoring. 

Now For The Uncomfortable Part... 

Not all stakeholders are created equal. Once you've built your list, you have to classify your stakeholders.  "Stakeholder management" sounds clean and professional, but when it comes to careers, stakeholder management means reading power, influence, agendas, alliances, and risk.  — and this is where it gets uncomfortable.   You need to assess two things:

Influence on your success→ How much can this person affect your goals, outcomes, or reputation?

High = Their opinion, decisions, or support directly impacts your success.

Low = They have limited power to shape your results.

ASK: If this person gave feedback about me or my work, would it shape my outcomes?

Appreciation of your value→ How much do they currently recognize or appreciate your contribution?

High = They understand your impact and see you as valuable.

Low = They don’t fully see or acknowledge what you bring.

ASK: Do they currently see me as adding real value?

Maybe someone influential doesn’t yet appreciate your work. Maybe you’ve realized you’re spending energy where it isn’t noticed. The point isn’t to please everyone — it’s to create value for those whose success defines yours. Everyone matters. Differently.

The Stakeholder Matrix

 Plot your stakeholders on this framework and a picture emerges — one that tells you exactly where to focus your energy.

Someone high on both axes is a key ally: high influence, high appreciation. Someone high in influence but low appreciation is a risk: they matter, but may not yet see your value. That’s your opportunity zone. And who might you be overinvesting in? The aim is to focus your energy where it creates the most perceived value. The placement suggests "where" you could focus. “How” to manage each quadrant is a deeper conversation — one we explore in detail in Move Up or Move On. 

One More Thing: Play the Long Game 

Here's a nuance that trips up even seasoned professionals. This analysis isn't static. Careers unfold over time. The peer with little influence today may be your skip-level leader in two years. The stakeholder in the "minimal contact" quadrant may move into a role that reshapes your world. Never write anyone off permanently. Revisit your map. Update it. Treat it as a living document, because the political landscape shifts — and the professionals who thrive are the ones paying attention. 

What Comes Next 

You now have a tool to identify and prioritize the people who define your value. That's a significant edge. Part of the edge you need. But it opens a harder question — one for another time: once you know who your stakeholders are, how do you find out what they actually need from you? In the meantime, start mapping. You might not love what you find. But you'll be better for knowing it.

Adapted from Move Up or Move On.   Get your copy here.

The views expressed here are those of the authors and don’t represent those of their associated organizations.