“Leaders don't know how to lead in this new world”

Ever had that colleague whose advancement is a bit of a mystery to you? While the rest of us toil up the greasy pole, they slide up with ease – and not, apparently, by dint of their qualifications or even the quality of their work.

This apparent mismatch between success and experience may be less of a mystery than you think, according to Dr Michelle King, author of How Work Works: The Subtle Science of Getting Ahead Without Losing Yourself, which is published today. In fact, the data tells us that most people prefer to work with – and these are the research terms – a ‘lovable fool’ versus a ‘competent jerk’, she says.