There's Something About Joe the Plumber...

I don't know what it is, but there's something about Joe the Plumber. (I assume the "P" in "plumber" is capitalized.) I don't know if it is his handle bar mustache; his neatly trimmed silvery hair; the monocle he's frequently polishing and replacing; the small hairless dog he holds lovingly in one hand or the cane he clutches in the other. He's clearly never fixed a leak - his crisp all-white suit, his turquoise bolo tie, his warm southern drawl betray his very name. Is he a Bond villain or a master purveyor of eleven herbs and spices? One thing is very clear: he's no plumber.

I really intended to write about how to get ahead in larger business environments. It's really quite easy if you can stomach it:

1) Always sound like you know what you're doing. If a question comes up in the meeting, have an answer and say it convincingly. It doesn't matter so much if the answer is right, but that a group of people have repeated glimpses of you seeming to be in full, confident command.

2) Kiss your boss' ass like there is no tomorrow. Most people are insecure. They like to be liked; they like to have their insecurities assuaged with the cheap balm of flattery. They want to believe they have good ideas, good judgment, and a good nature (and they very well may.)

3) This overlaps with 1 and 2, but by far the most important skill in getting ahead in larger organizations is the ability to talk well, talk confidently, talk a lot.

I'm sure there's a lot more to it, but that' s my two cents.