I'm going to be even more cynical than you: being charming and easy to work with _to your superiors_ while being a prickly "expert" asshole to everybody "beneat

I'm going to be even more cynical than you: being charming and easy to work with _to your superiors_ while being a prickly "expert" asshole to everybody "beneath you" seems to be the best way to move up into middle management.