Perfectly Flawed

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A real-world guide to navigating office politics, imposter syndrome and setbacks—Where Behaviour, Not Brilliance, Builds Careers.

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What if the secret to career success isn’t being perfect—but knowing how to recover when you’re not?

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Because this is the real world.
The one where office politics exist, confidence wobbles, feedback stings, and success isn’t always fair.

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Karen Connell, internationally recognised executive coach and former Global Marketing Director, has spent more than three decades navigating corporate chaos. Nicknamed “The Rottweiler” and “Crash-Test Dummy”, she knows how careers really work—because she’s learnt the hard way.

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This isn’t a glossy guide to flawless leadership.
It’s a no-fluff survival manual packed with real disasters (many of her own making) and strategies that actually work.

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Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• Fail forward and turn mistakes into momentum

• Navigate politics and difficult people without losing yourself

• Build credibility, influence and visibility at work

• Coach yourself through chaos—even when you’re the problem

 

At the heart of it all is one deceptively simple phrase:

“Help me understand.”

Three words that change the way you lead, connect, and recover from your worst moments.

Because careers aren’t built on perfection.
They’re built on how you recover when you’re not.

If you’ve ever:

• Questioned your confidence at work

• Struggled with difficult colleagues or unclear expectations

• Felt like you’re winging it while everyone else looks in control

Then this book will show you what actually works—when it matters most.

Karen Connell is an internationally recognised Executive Coach and Performance Trainer, and founder of The SMALLmighty consultancy