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If you've lasted 10 years in consulting, you have played the political game and well, even if you don't realize it
I lasted 2
You already know what needs to be done. Just do it.
Play the game
Ask yourself what’s most meaningful and find it. If you’re finding some of it in your current role, you’ll find a way to manage the politics. The market is always changing. Unless you’re in a paycheck-to-paycheck situation, don’t let that be the reason you don’t try something new.
Just out of curiosity, what does being political look like to you and in your current context?
Weigh the pros and cons between stepping out of your confort zone and be political, stay where you are and be stuck, or leave to find another job
There are some consulting firms that let you stay at the Senior Manager level and just serve as a technical or functional consultant. You then partner with Client Managers that deal with politics. If you’re a SME, you can stay there endlessly. Tougher if you’re a generalist or chameleon.
Toxic Politics and Racism Are Eating Away at ServiceNow in Asia
Politics is a double-edged sword — and at ServiceNow, it cuts deep. It destroys the core values that once defined the company and corrodes the spirit of those who came here to do meaningful work. Work is supposed to be a place where you grow, contribute, and find purpose. But when politics and prejudice take over, it becomes survival.
At ServiceNow Singapore, the politics are not about performance or impact — they’re about optics, language, culture, skin color, and who you make comfortable. Every gesture, word, and reaction gets judged under the weight of bias. You end up managing emotions, not outcomes.
My current manager is openly racist — and this has been raised multiple times. Nothing changes. The local majority race continues to be favored and protected. Respect is given based on color, not contribution. My previous manager was fair, balanced, and human. The current one is the opposite — political to the point of stupidity, divisive to the core.
The disrespect is blatant. The difference in how minorities are treated is visible to anyone who chooses to look. But leadership in Asia turns a blind eye. No accountability, no integrity, no action.
This isn’t just politics — it’s decay. I’m praying for an exit soon. No one should have to lose themselves to stay employed.
Politics is just relationships… Not a big relationships person?
Yeah I think navigating these type of scenarios get increasingly more burdensome at scale since there are so many competing interests you’ll have to maneuver. I do think it requires some level of moral flexibility, since the rules of what’s right and what works at a more localized scale (one on one interactions, project team, etc.) don’t apply as much when you’re dealing with larger systems in leadership roles. That’s just an abstract way of saying it seems like you really value authenticity and doing what’s best for your client, and progressing in your current role doesn’t allow for that. I’d be frustrated too.
Unfortunately, the political game is played as well.