For individuals & organizations
Coaching on the Unwritten Rules of Work for first-gen and neurodivergent professionals
Take the quiz to see which unwritten rules might be sabotaging you, or your organization.
Find Your Fit
Discover which unwritten rules are holding you back.
Get a concrete diagnosis and plan for which unwritten rules are holding you, or your organization, back. This will also guide you to the most cost-effective resources to support you in addressing this rule. This quiz takes approximately 45 seconds to 2.5 minutes, depending on your situation.
About Dr. Anna Kallschmidt
I/O psychologist, coach, and author of The Unwritten Rules of Work.
Dr. Anna Kallschmidt is an industrial-organizational psychologist whose research pioneered the study of social class background as a stigmatized workplace identity — one that persists even after class mobility. She lives the research: raised in rural America, she has worked inside small woman-owned businesses and Big 4 consulting firms, community colleges and Ivy League institutions, local government and federal agencies.
For 10 years she has studied what the unwritten rules of work actually are, how they impact performance, and what organizations need to do about them — whether that means making them more transparent, or eliminating the ones that are bottlenecking results. She works with individuals on the same questions: which rules are worth learning, and which ones are draining energy that should be going toward the work.
Her research is recognized by the American Psychological Association. Her applied work has driven measurable results — including hiring and training redesigns that increased organizational retention by 30%. The same organizations keep bringing her back.
PhD, Industrial-Organizational Psychology · APA Community Leadership Award · Author, The Unwritten Rules of Work
Organizations I've worked with: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen · Schusterman Family Philanthropies · The Daniel Group · Strada Education Foundation · STEM Career Launchpad · Florida International University College of Engineering
For organizations
Stop paying $300K per failed promotion.
For individuals
Stop wondering what you're missing.
Your promotion pipeline leaks at the same layer every time
Excellent ICs promoted into leadership, then quietly labeled 'not strategic enough.' The pattern isn't the people — it's the unwritten rules nobody taught them.
You're doing excellent work and still getting passed over
You're not imagining it. There's a second set of rules running underneath the performance review, and nobody sat you down and explained them.
Your technical experts keep stalling out in leadership roles
They were promoted because they were excellent at the work. Six months in, they're being told they're 'not strategic enough.' The problem isn't the people. It's that nobody taught them the rules changed.
You're told you're 'too direct,' 'too much,' or 'not a culture fit'
Translation: you didn't grow up doing the same code-switching everyone else in the room did on autopilot. That's decodable. It's not a personality problem.
Middle managers are drowning in translation work
They're coding up to executives and down to their teams all day, and nobody's counting it as part of the job. Give them the vocabulary — and the backup.
You're the first in your family to do this kind of work
The career advice your parents gave you was built for a different game. You need the actual playbook — not another 'lean in' pep talk.
Coaching programs
Stop doing excellent work nobody sees. Learn the rules the rest of them grew up with.
One-on-one and small-group coaching for the people who code-switch all day, get told they're 'too direct' or 'not strategic enough,' and watch less-qualified colleagues get promoted past them. You don't need a new personality. You need the playbook nobody handed you.
1:1 Coaching
For when you're the only one in the room who had to figure this out alone.
Small-Group Cohort
Find out you're not the only one running two jobs at once — and build the language to name it.
Manager Reset
For middle managers stuck between layers, doing the translating both ways and getting credit for neither.
From coaching clients
1:1 Coaching
“I really enjoyed our one-on-one session together — it felt a bit like a work therapy session in the best way. You met me at my level, helped me understand the perspective of my employer, and gave me a new lens to view the situation. With this framework I feel more empowered to center myself in my career decision-making, and it feels so liberating. As a female software engineer (with a dash of neurospiciness) who has NEVER worked on a team with other female teammates, I feel better able to navigate the male-dominated spaces I find myself in — now and in the future.”
J.
Software engineer, 1:1 coaching client
1:1 Coaching
“Working with Dr. Kallschmidt has been a transformative experience. Her coaching knowledge, both theoretical and practical, not only helped me navigate professional challenges but also empowered me to recognize the cultural nuances that could impact my career growth. She has a unique way of breaking down complex industry dynamics, especially for international workers like me, making her guidance practical and actionable. Her research and expertise in the unwritten rules of work helped me with salary negotiation and cover letter preparation at my current role.”
Francisco Chitty, Ph.D.
Civil engineer, 1:1 coaching client
1:1 Coaching
“Dr. Anna Kallschmidt is an exceptional leadership coach. Her ability to understand my perspective, both professionally and emotionally, set her apart from the start. She took the time to truly grasp my experiences and consistently met me where I was, which made the coaching process feel collaborative and grounded rather than generic. It felt like talking to an old friend that was willing to celebrate the wins but also point out when I was not my best. I would recommend her without hesitation to anyone seeking a coach who combines professional excellence with genuine human understanding. I do miss our sessions!!!”
Kim Battles
Director of Client Deliverables, The Daniel Group
Weekly Group Coaching
“I participate in Dr. K's weekly group sessions, and I consistently find valuable insights for my professional life. Recently, I transitioned to a private upper-middle-class university after working at a predominantly working-class institution. This change has highlighted a distinct difference in communication styles related to class — for instance, students at my current university tend to be more indirect and occasionally passive-aggressive, navigating around and above you instead of addressing issues directly. As I prepared to teach a new course, Dr. K recommended I collaborate with my university's curriculum designer to review the course content and mitigate any potential issues that could lead to student complaints. Following that advice, I met with the curriculum designer, who offered invaluable feedback — and we discovered common ground through our shared working-class and immigrant backgrounds, which helped establish rapport and a potential alliance. I'm truly grateful for our weekly group sessions and was pleasantly surprised by the positive outcome of implementing Dr. K's guidance.”
Jennifer
Faculty member, weekly group coaching member
Speaking & workshops
Your best individual contributors keep failing in leadership roles. It's not who you hired — it's what they were never taught.
You promoted them because they were excellent. Then you watched them flounder and called it 'not strategic enough,' 'too direct,' or 'not a culture fit.' Each failed promotion costs you $225K–$360K in turnover, lost productivity, and team drag. Keynotes and working sessions that close the gap between doing the work and leading the people doing it — grounded in original research on the Unwritten Rules of Work.
Keynotes
For all-hands and leadership offsites where you need everyone to hear the same thing at once.
Manager Workshops
Working sessions for newly-promoted leaders on the cultural shift from IC to people-leader.
Exec Briefings
Closed-door sessions for senior leaders on where your promotion pipeline is leaking — and why.
Orgs keep bringing her back
Keynote — The Daniel Group
“Hands down the most commented-on speaker we've ever had. I mean, seriously — we have never had the response back from people about that's presented like we had from Dr. K.”
Senior leader, The Daniel Group
Invited back for a half-day workshop at the next conference
Workshop — Schusterman Family Philanthropies
“Dr. Kallschmidt gave an insightful and engaging presentation on the Unwritten Rules of Work. She broke down complex concepts into easily digestible information, and her examples were relatable and thought-provoking. Whether it was decoding office communication, navigating professional relationships, or offering strategies for personal growth, Dr. K provided practical tips and tools. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for an exceptional facilitator who can engage and empower her audience.”
Selam Yohannes, PMP
Schusterman Family Philanthropies — returned 3+ times across multiple departments
Keynote — STEM Career Launchpad
“Anna's talk deeply resonated with our students. Many were still reflecting and discussing her insights long after the session ended. Her thoughtful, grounded approach to discussing the often-unspoken expectations of professional life was not only eye-opening but also empowering.”
Brenna Kays, Ph.D.
Host, STEM Career Launchpad
Workshop — Strada Education Foundation
“Engaging and fun, with a clear knack for getting people comfortable talking about things that can sometimes be uncomfortable, like the role of social class in the workplace. Her actionable insights left us all feeling informed and empowered to make our organization a better place for people of all backgrounds.”
Ryan Waggoner
Former client, post-workshop
Past engagements
The book
The Unwritten Rules of Work
Most workplace friction isn't one person's fault — it's a gap between how staff, managers, and HR each experience the same unwritten rule. Every chapter names the rule, then gives each side a specific recommendation for their part in fixing it.
Read it as a staff member and get your move. Read it as a manager and get yours. Read it as HR and get yours. Same root problem — three different jobs to do about it.
Every chapter ends with role-specific recommendations — not a script everyone reads the same way, but a distinct next step for whoever's reading it: staff, manager, or HR.
Not yet available for purchase — release date and order links land here closer to launch.
“I read this book over Christmas and kept thinking how much I wish I'd had it when I first entered the workforce. As a first-generation professional, I quickly realized that a lot of the advice my parents gave me didn't apply.”
John
Amazon review
“Your book has been life changing for me professionally and emotionally. I watch your YouTube channel every day.”
Alicia Jacobson
TikTok comment
“You are not imagining it. Accessibly written and good actionable advice for the working-class person navigating white-collar communication.”
Mr R Watson
Verified reader, United Kingdom
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