You're good at your job. You work hard, deliver results, and maintain high standards. Yet, despite your dedication, career advancement feels increasingly out of reach. Traditional advice-"let your work speak for itself" or "learn to play the game"-leaves you feeling stuck between burnout and sellout. May Busch, former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe, knows this struggle intimately. Through her own 24-year journey from entry-level analyst to C-suite executive, she discovered a better way forward. Drawing from her experience and work coaching hundreds of ambitious professionals, Busch reveals the hidden capabilities that senior decision-makers look for when determining who advances and who plateaus. This transformative guide shows you how to: • Navigate office politics while staying true to your values. • Build strategic relationships without compromising your integrity. • Develop the presence and confidence to command attention. • Take ownership of your career progression at every stage. Whether you're feeling overlooked for promotion, struggling with workplace dynamics, or simply ready to accelerate your career trajectory, this book provides the framework to advance on your own terms. Stop grinding harder-start working strategically. May Busch works with good people who want to advance their careers and make the difference they're meant to make in the world – without sacrificing their values in the process. After her own 24-year rise to Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley Europe, she discovered the hidden shift that separates those who advance from those who plateau: it's not enough to deliver excellent performance – you also need to make your potential visible to key decision-makers. As founder of Career Mastery™, May has developed a practical framework that helps mid-career professionals accelerate their advancement while staying authentic. Her approach has guided hundreds of professionals toward promotions, leadership roles, and greater career satisfaction. A Harvard College and Harvard Business School graduate, May serves as Senior Advisor for Leadership at Arizona State University and provides executive coaching globally. Her work proves that good people can finish first. Everything May shares is what she wishes she'd had during her own journey.
