Chapter 3Your Competition: Who’s Really Getting Ahead in Your Company?

Now that we understand the playing field and the mindset you need to succeed, it’s time to meet your competition. Many managers don’t view their colleagues and peers as competitors, but that is exactly what they are in the game of career advancement. There are a finite number of promotions available and many possible candidates. Very often we have to wait several years for one opportunity to move up the ladder, so we need a winning strategy to make sure we beat out the competition.

Winning, as we’ve discussed, is not determined in practice by talent or work ethic. At the very least, these virtues cannot advance your career on their own. The winners come in all shapes and sizes, ...

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