Your 'political capital' = company loyalty in difficult times and this is why you should invest and cultivate in this intangible asset over time. Successful pr

Your 'political capital' = company loyalty in difficult times and this is why you should invest and cultivate in this intangible asset over time. Successful project completion is necessary for growing your political capital (PC) but not sufficient. Unfortunately, PC requires a complex mix of social engagement, tribal acceptance, and cross-organizational support that unfortunately comes down to memorable likeability. "I refuse to suck up or become a schmoozer," I hear you say. That certainly is a common choice and it comes with certain daily freedoms and potentially some long-term negatives. These social constructs are true for all groups of humans and have been for thousands of years. It's not unique to the business environment. This is also why today's HN discussion examples of betrayal to the social norms reflect our sense of moral offense. Arbitrarily firing people feels wrong because it IS wrong. Growing your political capital by expanding your social engagement and service network doesn't guarantee safety in a crisis, but it certainly increases the odds of remaining in the herd of survivors.