Hidden Power: What do you do when the company is full of red tape and you can't change the culture?

This is newsletter is from our series called Hidden Power Tactics: How to Get Things Done When You Have No Formal Power

Lesson: Play the game without burning bridges.

When you're working inside a company weighed down by process, politics, or siloed teams, trying to change the culture is often a career-limiting move—especially if you're new, mid-level, or on a lean team.

The bigger the company, the more it rewards risk-aversion and stability. Culture isn't changed by effort alone. It's changed by incentives—and unless you control budgets, hiring, or leadership directives, you don't control the levers.

But that doesn’t mean you're powerless. You just need a different playbook.

Key Insight: Don’t try to fight the system. Learn to move through it.

What to do instead:

• Accept that some behaviors are legacy-driven, not personal.
• Study how other people get things done without making noise.
• Ask: “What’s the fastest way to move this forward within the current system?”

Pro Tip: Every company has “the way things get done” that isn’t written down. Observe it. Master it. Then slowly, surgically, change it through results, not rebellion.

Book Wisdom: The First 90 Days says your first job is to diagnose before you prescribe. Act like an anthropologist. Understand before trying to fix.

Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, medical, or professional advice. The author is not a licensed advisor. Any actions taken based on this content are your responsibility. No liability is assumed for outcomes resulting from its use.