The Games We Play

To climb the Corporate Ladder you have to play the game.
If you don't play the game, you won't go anywhere.
I know this for a fact, because I will not be going anywhere.
I will be at the same job in my company, no matter how hard I work, no matter how late I stay, no matter how much praise I get by certain people...if I am not kissing the right ass and playing their game, I will not be going anywhere.

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It's definitely a hard lesson to learn. You believe your work should speak for itself.
You believe you shouldn't have to say how great you are, somebody should notice that and praise your efforts. You believe working hard and helping others in their work will make you noticeable without having to say LOOK AT ME. It's difficult to wrap your head around the fact that this is not how the corporate system works.

So what to do? Do I start kissing that corporate ass that I really have no respect for?
Do I tell someone hello every morning even though looking at them makes me want to vomit?
Should I ask someone to go to lunch that I seriously have nothing in common with so that the next time "that manager" asks how I am doing they can say, she is great! What a nice person she is! I love having her in the office! Seriously makes me sick thinking about it.

Do I take what I do know about myself and change it completely?
Do I stop being who I am for a company that doesn't allow me to grow and be great just because I am not the biggest kiss ass?