tl;dr:Jean discusses the contrasting dynamics of "ask culture" and "guess culture." While "ask culture" promotes direct requests and clear communication, "guess culture" relies on subtle hints and indirect cues, often gauging the likelihood of a positive response before making a request. Jean provides examples to illustrate these, emphasizing the potential for misunderstandings and frustrations. She offers advice for guess-culture individuals: (1) Seek help when feeling stuck, without fearing inconvenience to others. (2) Express interest in opportunities e.g publishing on the company blog. (3) Cultivate comfort with receiving "no" as an answer. If people aren't occasionally declining, one might still be operating within guess culture. (4) Use the thought exercise "If I could have my way..." to bypass others' needs and focus on personal desires, which can then be turned into requests.
tl;dr:Jean explores the career ladder, particularly its alignment with definitions of success. “Working full-time? Strive to level up through promotions and checking off the leveling system’s boxes. Working as an IC? Climb the IC levels and then try to move into a leadership position.” Many individuals, especially those further in their careers, find the traditional ladder less appealing. Jean encourages readers to introspect on their values, understand the role they want work to play in their lives, and notice what genuinely sparks their interest. She shares personal experiences and emphasizes that the conventional career ladder doesn't have to dictate one's path.