The lessons start from the first page in this brisk, direct, and illuminating guide to achieving just what its title says inside companies, organizations, firms, and more. “Idealists don’t have to be incompetent at organizational politics.,” writes Calhoun-Senghor, a veteran of the Clinton White House, international law agencies, and more. Making the case that one need not be a cynic to gain success—and, yes, power—in any organization that has its own internal politics, Calhoun-Senghor lays out a set of clear-eyed rules for thriving in any position.”