Politics exist in the boardroom, as well.

Fiorina’s line underscores that “politics” is not confined to government: it also describes the power dynamics, coalition-building, negotiation, and competition for resources that shape corporate decision-making. In a boardroom, outcomes often depend not only on data and strategy but on relationships, incentives, reputations, and differing stakeholder agendas. The quote implicitly challenges the idealized view of business as purely meritocratic or technocratic, suggesting that leaders must understand influence and governance as much as markets and operations. It also hints at accountability: corporate power can have public consequences, so the political nature of boardroom choices deserves scrutiny rather than denial.