To be clear, bus throwing is most effective in two situations: 1) The executives-wrangling-for-a-role level. If three people want that sweet VP title, they're

To be clear, bus throwing is most effective in two situations: 1) The executives-wrangling-for-a-role level. If three people want that sweet VP title, they're not just trying to show they're the best, they're also trying to show the other two people are not good for the role. Taking a promotion competitor and throwing them under the biggest bus possible is a great way to knock them out of the running. Chances are they're trying to do the same to you. (Note: at Big Cos, high-level promotions are at least as much about politics as about actual merit of work / competency). 2) The other person is a different part of the org entirely. For example if there's a project that's a joint effort between IT and Marketing and something goes wrong you better believe the ladder climbers are going to look for the biggest bus available to throw the other team lead under. It's an effective strategy because it's a responsibility avoidance tactic and, hey, screw those other guys because they never give you what you want anyway. Please note I don't actually recommend people do these things unless they care more about career advancement at all costs than about actually building strong relationships, well-functioning teams, and general life happiness. The thing is, a lot of people prioritize the former, which I think is the whole impetus behind the article's title.