You’ve homed in on your dream. You can see your destination, shimmering there on the horizon. And you’ve got in hand, finally, the road map that will get you there.

But I’d be remiss if I didn’t warn you about the hazards ahead—the hairpin curves where you could veer off the road, the potholes that could swallow you whole. To negotiate these, you’ll need more than driving tips and tactics. You’ll need GPS.

In this section, I’m going to delve deep into three career pitfalls that other coaches won’t poke with a ten-foot pole. The fact that no one talks about them is what keeps straight white men in power and the rest of us scratching at the door. First, for women, there’s the ubiquitous and ever-threatening hazard of an illicit affair: sex with a superior or even the suspicion of it can take you out of the race. Then, if you’re a person of color, there’s the issue of distrust: if you allow racial divides to cut you off from potential sponsors, your fear of career-stunting bias will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. And for both women and minorities, there’s the elusive but essential code of executive presence: fail to crack it and you’ll lose your way altogether.

Awareness is your best defense.

To further gird you for the perils of this journey, I’ve harvested a slew of tips and tactics from professionals who’ve successfully completed it. Heed their wisdom, hold onto your road map, and I have every confidence you’ll stay on track.