I used to think that if I kept my head down and did solid work, that’d be enough to move forward. After a few years here, I’m not so sure. The people getting promoted aren’t always the most capable, but they’re usually the ones who know exactly who to compliment and when to be visible.
I’ve never been comfortable pretending to admire every decision from leadership or joining every little workplace circle. I’m polite, I help my team, and I meet my goals, but that doesn’t seem to stand out much.
It’s made me rethink how success works in some orgs. Skill matters, but being liked by the right people can matter even more. I don’t want to become fake just to get ahead, but I’m starting to see why some people do.