When I started my last corporate job, I asked experienced co-workers for advice and best-practices, and most of them told me something like: “Try to get in front of important people.”

That’s corporate code for sucking up.

It wasn’t my first time working for a large company. I’d seen a lot of suck-ups get promotions in the past, and in a moment of weakness, I decided to listen to those idiots.

You “get in front of important people” by scheduling unnecessary meetings with random people, always saying something during meetings, pretending you’re working while you’re watching YouTube videos and staying at the office until late when you’re not productive at all.

But sucking up didn’t feel right — I just couldn’t do it. It’s not my style. But it’s so tempting to do it because people get rewarded for that.

And who doesn’t want to get promoted? So you get lured in. That’s why I understand why people who start at corporations decide to play politics—you think it’s normal.