The Office Politics Podcast with Fexingo: Workplace Dynamics, Influence, and Getting Things Done cover art

The Office Politics Podcast with Fexingo: Workplace Dynamics, Influence, and Getting Things Done

The Office Politics Podcast with Fexingo: Workplace Dynamics, Influence, and Getting Things Done

By: Fexingo
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Office politics isn't just about maneuvering for promotions; it's the invisible current that determines whether good ideas get traction or die in committee. Lucas and Luna, the two co-hosts of Fexingo Business, examine the real mechanics of workplace influence: how decisions actually get made, whose voices carry weight, and what strategies turn a proposal into policy. Drawing on organizational psychology, case studies from companies like Pixar and Bridgewater, and the latest research on network theory, each episode dissects a specific dynamic—whether it's managing up without sycophancy, building coalitions across warring teams, or navigating a toxic culture without becoming toxic yourself. The show is for the mid-career professional who has seen good projects stall and bad ideas advance, and wants to understand the underlying rules of the game. Lucas brings the journalist's skeptical eye for data and precedent; Luna counters with the practitioner's instinct for what actually works in a Monday morning meeting. Together, they avoid the usual advice of 'just be authentic' or 'play the game' in favor of something more useful: a map of the hidden terrain between you and getting things done. What's the difference between influence and manipulation, and how do you know which side of the line you're on? #OfficePolitics #WorkplaceDynamics #Influence #GettingThingsDone #OrganizationalBehavior #CorporateCulture #PowerDynamics #CareerStrategy #LeadershipLessons #CoalitionBuilding #ManagingUp #ToxicWorkplace #PixarCulture #BridgewaterPrinciples #DecisionMaking #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo© 2026 Fexingo. All rights reserved. Economics
Episodes
  • How to Use Strategic Failing Upward in Your Career

    How to Use Strategic Failing Upward in Your Career
    Jun 12 2026
    In this episode of The Office Politics Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the counterintuitive power of 'failing upward' — using a visible, well-timed failure to gain influence, trust, and long-term career momentum. They break down a real case from a Fortune 500 company where a mid-level manager turned a botched product launch into a promotion by reframing the failure as a learning opportunity for the whole team. The hosts explain the three rules of strategic failing upward: choose the right stage (a project with high organizational learning value), pre-frame the risk with stakeholders, and extract a specific insight that benefits the company. They contrast this with the dangers of failure on low-visibility or high-cost projects, and discuss how to avoid being seen as incompetent or reckless. Along the way, Lucas and Luna share how to read your workplace culture to know if failing upward is even possible, and what to do if it's not. Packed with actionable tips for ambitious professionals navigating office politics. #StrategicFailing #FailingUpward #CareerGrowth #OfficePolitics #WorkplaceInfluence #RiskTaking #FailureIsLearning #CareerStrategy #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #TrustBuilding #OrganizationalBehavior #Fortune500 #ProductLaunch #MistakesAtWork #Careers #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 mins
  • How to Network Upward Without Being Obvious

    How to Network Upward Without Being Obvious
    Jun 11 2026
    Lucas and Luna explore the art of upward networking—building relationships with senior leaders without seeming transactional or desperate. They dissect the specific case of a mid-level marketing manager who used a cross-functional project to earn face time with a VP of Strategy at a Fortune 500 consumer goods company. The episode breaks down three concrete techniques: the 'informational update' email framing, the 'two-step ask' pattern for meeting requests, and the 'pre-read strategy' for making every interaction valuable to the senior person. They also address what happens when your boss feels threatened by your upward moves—and how to navigate that without losing your current sponsor. No platitudes, just playbook-level detail. #UpwardNetworking #CareerStrategy #OfficePolitics #WorkplaceDynamics #Sponsorship #ExecutivePresence #Networking #CareerAdvice #InfluenceWithoutAuthority #Mentorship #CorporateStrategy #VisibilityAtWork #PowerDynamics #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    13 mins
  • How to Navigate Office Politics After a Restructuring

    How to Navigate Office Politics After a Restructuring
    Jun 11 2026
    When your company reorganizes, the official org chart tells only half the story. In this episode of The Office Politics Podcast, Lucas and Luna unpack what happens to informal influence networks after a restructuring, drawing on a 2025 McKinsey study that found 72 percent of post-restructure productivity loss stems from broken trust lines, not workflow design. They walk through a concrete case: a mid-sized SaaS firm that merged two product teams and saw a 40 percent drop in cross-team project completion rates within the first quarter. Lucas explains how to map the new political landscape—identifying who holds decision rights, who controls information, and whose informal authority survived the shake-up. Luna shares a practical tactic for re-establishing your own influence without seeming desperate: the 'reintroduction meeting.' The episode closes with a five-question diagnostic listeners can run on their own teams right now. If you are facing a reorg, this episode gives you a framework for reading the room before you make your next move. #OfficePolitics #Restructuring #Reorg #Influence #WorkplaceDynamics #Careers #McKinsey #InformalNetworks #Trust #Productivity #SaaS #CrossTeamCollaboration #DecisionRights #ReintroductionMeeting #Diagnostic #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TheOfficePoliticsPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 mins
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