Do you think most careers are built more on perception than people like to acknowledge? Not dishonesty, but storytelling, positioning, visibility, politics. Sometimes I see equally talented people with wildly different trajectories, and the main difference seems to be who knows how to frame their work. How real is this dynamic from your experience?

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I absolutely believe that careers are built more on perception. Office politics and likeability will get you places that knowledge alone can never get you. I hate playing the office politics, but you have to if you want to be the one they promote.

A lot of careers are propelled by someone being personable, and that's not too surprising. People tend to work in teams, and being able to collaborate and get along with people becomes a vital skill. Someone may be extremely talented, but if they're a lone wolf they may disadvantage themselves.

Something that happened this year changed my mind a little bit. Someone I worked for with a great career, very likeable person, easily the person everyone hear for. This year he was a mess. He missed delivering value in every single project that he led. Millions of dollars in waste. Goes without saying that people are not listening to him as much anymore. So.. you know how they say... it can talk or it can walk...

There’s definitely some truth to that. Skills open the door, but visibility, communication, and how you position your impact often shape how fast and how far a career grows.

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