Mobility
"Game Playing" This has received little study, but it seems' likely that a good deal of "game playing" and artful "presentation of self" (see p. 108) may be involved in upward mobility. Graduating seniors are coached on how to conduct themselves before the corporate recruiter. To be well-liked may be as important as to be competent. While not easy to measure, the ability to work smoothly with people and to impress people favorably is probably an important factor in "success." Some popular books, such as Korda's Power (1975), imply that success is primarily a matter of "front" and "one-upmanship." This is a superficial view,' which underestimates the ability of corporation executives and supervisors to spot a phony. A skillful "presentation of self" will seldom take the place of competence, but it may gain one a chance to demonstrate competence and thus be a factor in mobility.
