Route to the top: Seven ways to bend the rules
Nice guys finish last, the saying goes. So here are some tips for the less scrupulous.
Move the masses. Think like Martin Luther King and paint a vivid picture of the great things you hope to accomplish. Once your colleagues see what could be achieved with a little audacity, they'll be more likely to turn a blind eye, help you navigate the labyrinth, or hang the rules and join the revolution.
Act natural. Behave as if your actions are totally normal and only the most self-assured colleague will challenge you. And if they do? Boost your credibility by speaking at a measured pace - gushing suggests guilty; steady suggests self-assured.
Befriend rule-enforcers. It's hard to be tough on someone you like, especially if they backed you up at that board meeting.