A few weeks ago Netflix debuted season two of its popular show House of Cards. There are some powerful career building lessons to be learned from Vice President Frank Underwood, who ducks, dodges and damages his foes as part of his rise to the top at all costs. While the virtues of hard work and a solid network may be the initial career takeaways from the show, there are also a few less obvious suggestions that one can apply to get ahead. It should be noted, however, that we at The Potentiality are all about spreading kindness and not advocates of any of the trickery or negative behaviour employed by Frank and Claire Underwood in their rise to the top.
Attach Yourself to a Powerful Friend or Sponsor
Edward Meecham learns this first hand. He starts on the show as a Washington DC municipal cop and ends Season 2 as a key secret service member of the presidential detail. Quite a rise and one that is the result of loyalty to his boss Frank Underwood rather than any superior skill or length of experience. While this career development strategy can leave you vulnerable to the whims of one individual, it can also allow for rapid advancement if your boss quickly rises to the top. And though it may seem distasteful to rely on the favour of a sponsor, it is a very ubiquitous way that many people advance quickly in their career.
Be Useful to People
There’s a line in the second season where Raymond Tusk is talking to Remy Danton in his basement barbershop. He warns Remy to continue to be useful to him. While we naturally think of our own self interest and the value our career gives us, it is important to keep in mind that being useful to your clients/employer is what ensures the longevity of your career as well as future advancement.“What would my boss do without me?” If the answer is “plenty”, then you may want to think of ways to improve your value to your boss and influencers in your company. Becoming indispensable to the powers that be in your organization is a sure fire way of getting ahead.
Use Back Channels to Explore Your Possibilities
Frank Underwood and Claire Underwood are masters of approaching the same problem or idea from multiple directions. Frank’s “back channelling” with the Chinese and Claire’s information gathering through the First Lady both illustrate how to use relationships to find solutions. While few if any of us could or would want to replicate the trickery shown by the Underwoods, the approach of gathering information around your objective through multiple venues is worth considering. Say you are looking at making a move to a new job. You’ll want to not only rely on the job description, but call up a friend or acquaintance who mayhave some additional information. Then you’ll want to utilize LinkedIn and maybe set up a coffee chat with a key individual in the organization. As the Underwoods have taught us, information is power.
Volunteer to Help
Zoe Barnes has the right approach, even though she is soundly rebuffed by her fellow reporter, when she volunteered to help at the Washington Herald political beat. Barnes doesn’t want to stay as a “metro scrub” and needs to gain some political experience (or find a sponsor) if she wants to move up. Even though she ends up choosing the latter (sleeping with your sponsor is definitely NOT something the Potentiality recommends), the decision to offer to help her colleague and volunteer her time to do it was a good decision.
Find Ways to Help Others and Save those Favours for a Rainy Day
Frank Underwood is a master at this and indeed it is one of his most powerful characteristics. While the ability to earn and save up favours appears incredibly calculated, in the real world helping others achieve their goals if it comes at no (or a very limited) cost to your own goals is just good business. While you should never be as deliberate and ruthless about it as Frank Underwood, understanding and being aware of the interests of others and the importance of “favors” as transactional currency in your own career development will serve you well.
Be Aware of your Organization’s Powerbrokers
The President’s Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez learns the hard way that while a title may connote some power and authority, it isn’t always the case. When Underwood marches into her office in a huff and says he will not waste time inflating her sense of importance, he makes very clear that he’s the true arbiter of power in the White House. Every organization has people who punch beyond their title along with managers and workers who are neutered of real power and responsibility. It is important to recognize who is who and act accordingly. For one thing, make sure you don’t piss them off. Find ways to be useful to them. Be responsive. Don’t gossip about them or work at cross-purposes.
For more career advice from popular films, consider checking out our Editor-in-Chief’s Tumblr account – it’s probably my favourite source of information other than House of Cards.
Photo courtesy of VinothChandar