The value of sucking up

[HappySkeptic]

I have no patience for company politics. I've watched people play the "climb the company ladder" game. Some were actually competent, others not so much.

My job is to help the company put out a product that delights customers. Anything else is a distraction.

[The Valkyrie]

One of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: It never hurts to suck up to the boss.

[paulpablo]

I'm probably closer to my supervisor than anyone else I work with.

I didn't make an effort we just get along well.

I don't get any severe advantages but obviously it's an advantage being friendly with anyone who can help you out.

Instead of going through all the official methods of communication we can just have a chat while playing on the PlayStation online together or through WhatsApp.

It has some disadvantages, it's more awkward if I've fucked up in work and it's my friend who has to look over what I've done but I'm pretty good at my job.

[brewer]

I have no patience for company politics.  I've watched people play the "climb the company ladder" game.  Some were actually competent, others not so much.

My job is to help the company put out a product that delights customers.  Anything else is a distraction.

And yet the suck ups continue to survive. This reminds me of David Spade character in Coneheads.

[Spongebob]

And when peters appear the company fails, unless the game is already rigged.

I haven't heard the Peter Principle referenced in years.  At the time it was a popular term/concept (seems like it was the 80's), I'm not sure it was making the case that a person promoted via the Peter Principle was a suck up.  I remember it being about a competent person being promoted to a level beyond their competency.  So if a person was a competent engineer and got promoted to manager, where he was still somewhat competent, then promoted to director, where he wasn't competent, then suddenly he didn't do so well.  I think it was all about finding your level of competency.

If you follow sports (football specifically), this concept can be seen regularly with the way coaches are promoted.  Most coaches start out as graduate assistants, then get a job as a running backs coach or offensive line coach, then on to OC or DC, and eventually to head coach, where a large proportion of them bomb and then drop back down a level.  This can all happen over a surprisingly short span of time.

Now, if a person is really good at sucking up, maybe all that still applies.  At some point there's no one left to suck up to and the suckup becomes the object of others who suck up.

[Disagreeable]

Sucking up makes perfect sense. But only if your ultimate goal in life is to be fake, dishonest, immoral, stupid and lacking in depth.