Episode 2: Let's Talk About The Club

How invisible power networks shape your career (without you even knowing.)
Ever had that sinking feeling that something important happened… and you weren’t in the room for it? Or that a decision was made before the meeting? Or even that someone less capable got the opportunity, and you’re still “being patient”?

That’s The Club in action. No badges. No invites. But plenty of power.

In this episode of Little Moves, Big Careers, host Caroline Esterson lifts the lid on the informal influence networks that quietly shape who gets picked, praised, and promoted at work, and what to do when you're left circling outside the velvet rope.

We’re talking unspoken rules, invisible handshakes, and the subtle but brutal difference between being relied on and being recognised.

What you’ll learn:

• Why effort doesn’t equal visibility, and what to focus on instead
• How “The Club” forms (Please know it’s not always evil, it’s often emotional)
• The neuroscience of exclusion and why it literally hurts to be overlooked
• How to decode informal power at work and stop blaming yourself for broken systems
• 3 bold career moves to build influence without needing to be loud, fake, or pushy

Segment Highlights:
Are YOU in The Club?
A cheeky, scarily accurate quiz to help you spot the signs.

Real or Rubbish?
Decode whether that weird workplace moment is Club Code or just corporate chaos.

What Would Caro Do?
A listener from Preston is DONE being overlooked. Auntie Caro gives them the rally cry (and the strategy) to reclaim their power.

Quickfire Career Moves
3 bold-but-doable actions to reposition yourself as a strategic player (not just a helpful extra.)

Career Quote Crime
“If you work hard, you’ll be recognised.”
Seriously! You won’t. Caroline debunks this bedtime story with facts, fire, and a much smarter reframe.

BONUS TOOLS:
Download your Informal Influence Mapper
This episode’s free tool helps you spot hidden power players and map your own influence strategy, so you can stop shouting into the void and start whispering in the right ears.
DOWNLOAD IT HERE

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t know what else I can do…”
You’re not the problem.
But you might be playing by rules no one explained to you.

This episode will help you flip the script and help you start making moves that actually get noticed.

For more tools, transcripts, and cheeky extras:
inspireyourgenius.com/podcast

Send your bold career dilemmas to:
[e-mail]

Subscribe to Little Moves, Big Careers - the podcast for brilliant-but-overlooked people who are DONE waiting to be picked.

Ready to make your next bold move? Grab the free Bold Move Audit at www.inspireyourgenius.com/podcast and join the insider crew.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [e-mail] - I read them all.