“In a democracy, someone who fails to get elected to office can always console himself with the thought that there was something not quite fair about it.”  ― Thucydides

The people I see moving up the corporate ladder are the ones with talent, skills, knowledge, experience, potential for long-term success, and the personal goals  to do the job.

In a competitive environment where everyone does a great job, personality certainly plays a role.

Additionally, successful executives have to the ability to promote their skills as being better than those of their competitors are.  If no one knows that a person is doing a great job, how can a person expect rewards for the job they are doing?

In the Navy, I served under three Navy commanding officers.  Each one of them was from my point of view, the most qualified person for the job aboard the ship.  I have had managers who were not exceedingly talented, but I never had a manager who was unqualified to manage their responsibilities.

Office politics do exist.  Successful people practice them every day.  Powerful politics begin with powerful performance.  Therefore, I focus on performance.  As for politics, I practice politics the way Spencer Tracy practiced his craft as an actor.  He loved to act.  He also believed in not being caught at it.