Ladder-climbing per se is not bad. Here we talk about the unqualified ladder-climber. Someone who's not ready for the next level. Someone whose ONLY pursuit in life is money and superficial status.
They will do anything for that promotion. Apple-polish their boss. Pretend to work hard. Provide false information about their performance or abilities. Plot and execute extreme office politics – even violence – to undermine or get rid of those they consider as competing "threats."
I'm ignorant about other industries, but I have observed it in India's software industry for 28 years. It gets worse all the time. And it leaves the smaller percent of qualified folks unhappy and wanting to leave the company or country. Bad for the company. The company that promotes unqualified folks will – sooner or later – become a company of dwarfs.
How about the promoter? Promoting someone who's not ready for the next level is bad. A form of corporate crony capitalism. Self-serving bosses allow – even encourage – such ladder-climbing ... some to the point of running a cartel of sorts, as in "You do this for me, I will do this for you ..."
The good news is that the pursuit of unqualified promotions will not last. People are going to ask, "who promoted this person that can't even ...?" Unqualified ladder-climbing will – like an asset bubble – burst at some point in time. And unqualified ladder-climbing will certainly not give peace and true happiness.
They will do anything for that promotion. Apple-polish their boss. Pretend to work hard. Provide false information about their performance or abilities. Plot and execute extreme office politics – even violence – to undermine or get rid of those they consider as competing "threats."
I'm ignorant about other industries, but I have observed it in India's software industry for 28 years. It gets worse all the time. And it leaves the smaller percent of qualified folks unhappy and wanting to leave the company or country. Bad for the company. The company that promotes unqualified folks will – sooner or later – become a company of dwarfs.
How about the promoter? Promoting someone who's not ready for the next level is bad. A form of corporate crony capitalism. Self-serving bosses allow – even encourage – such ladder-climbing ... some to the point of running a cartel of sorts, as in "You do this for me, I will do this for you ..."
The good news is that the pursuit of unqualified promotions will not last. People are going to ask, "who promoted this person that can't even ...?" Unqualified ladder-climbing will – like an asset bubble – burst at some point in time. And unqualified ladder-climbing will certainly not give peace and true happiness.