Candi's rules for winning in Corporate America:

I heard Candi Castleberry-Singleton speak last year at the National Urban League conference. It's where I heard her present The Corporate Card Game. I wrote her name name on the list for prospective L2L speakers in hopes that I could one day have her share her insight with our community. Last Friday Candi delivered a passionate conversation for the second Making Lemonade #L2LMasterclass full of tips to winning at work and in being an DEI advocate.

Candi's rules for winning in Corporate America:

A recap of the 3 key rules: 
1. Identify the card players and the table.
2. Learn to deal your own cards.
3. Have a game plan. Know where decisions are being made.

Ask yourself these 3 things to start playing the game:
1. Who needs to know who you are?
2. How do I get them to know me?
3. How are you strategic with getting yourself out there?

Rules expanded
“Acknowledge that the game exists and identify who the key players are. Who are the key decision makers in your organizations?”

“If there is a takeaway from rule 1 it is to determine the answer to these questions: who needs to know you and who needs to know what you are capable of?”

“Ask people in the roles you want to be in about their career stories. And then determine the gap between where you are and where you hope to be.”

“Dealing your cards is the second rule. It’s not just who you know but it’s what they know about you and say about you.”

“Rule 3 is about playing. You need a mentor and sponsor and you need to shuffle your cards so they are distributed throughout the places you want to be. That’s when you know you’re in the fame.”

“Ask your manager: if you have to say 2 things about me, what would they be? If they hesitate, they’re either not talking about you or the things that they’re saying about you they don’t want to share with you.”

“There are ways for you to deal your cards that don’t always feel like ‘I’m the badass and you should know it.’”