A colleague got promoted last month, and it surprised many of us. During a team meeting in Livonia, the manager mentioned how impressed they were with this person's project contributions. But I couldn't help but notice that their relationship with upper management seemed to carry more weight than actual results. I've worked alongside them for years, and while they do solid work, it felt like their networking skills overshadowed those of others who put in more effort. Just last week, I overheard a conversation about another potential promotion. This time, it was someone from the Cologne team who consistently delivers but has less visibility with our upper management. It made me think about how many skilled workers are sidelined because they don't play the political game. It's frustrating to see hard work go unrecognized while connections take precedence over merit.