Sometimes your career doesn’t end with a blow-up or a firing. It ends quietly. You correct the wrong person in the wrong room, and suddenly your calendar shrinks, your invites dry up, and you’re no longer in the conversations that matter.

In this episode, I share real stories of how smart engineers lost influence by outshining decision makers, and how you can protect relationships, keep your credibility, and still have your voice heard without paying the hidden career tax.