Scale Over Skill
Why Being Liked Matters More Than Being Good
Most of us were raised with the idea that hard work pays off—put in the effort, and success will follow. While that’s somewhat true, what they forgot to mention is that this rule mostly applies in school. Even then, working yourself to the bone might only get you an ‘A’—no guarantees of wealth, power, or influence.
Then you graduate. Diploma in hand, you step into “the real world”—a phrase that never made sense to me until I entered it. Suddenly, the effort-to-reward ratio shifts dramatically. You realize that in many parts of the world, education creates a bubble that shields you from the realities of career advancement. Some people—especially those in Western societies—get an early start, working part-time jobs as teenagers. We used to think that was tragic. Imagine being 16 and juggling school with work! But now? Now, I wish that had been my reality. Early exposure to the workforce doesn’t just teach responsibility—it sharpens social skills.
And Social Skills Are Everything
Let me introduce you to my favorite theory: Scale Over Skill. It means that your likability—the “scale”—often outweighs your actual ability—the “skill.” Sure, competence is important. You need to meet the bare minimum requirements of your job. But beyond that, how you are perceived matters far more than what you can do.
A close friend of mine had a hilarious but painfully relatable experience. She spent most of her life chasing academic excellence—two master’s degrees and counting. By the time she entered the workforce at nearly 30, she firmly believed that hard work would lead to recognition and promotion.
She Was Dead Wrong
She followed the playbook she had been taught:
- Arrive early, leave late
- Take on extra shifts
- Work through weekends
- Be the most reliable person in the office
And what did all this effort get her? Three years of zero promotions.
Know Your Worth
Then, a new hire joined the company. Within three years, this new girl had been promoted nine times—yes, nine. From entry-level to mid-management, leapfrogging over people who had been there for a decade. She had aligned herself with the right people, made the right connections, and made sure she was liked. Her actual competence? Debatable. But she was on the fast track to the top.
Meanwhile, my friend was still grinding away, watching less experienced people rise past her. Eventually, frustration led her to quit without notice.
Moral of the story? Being great at your job is not enough. If nobody important knows or likes you, you’re invisible. And invisible people don’t get promoted.
Meanwhile…
Another friend learned this lesson in an even more direct way. She started a new job and quickly befriended the woman she shared a cubicle with. A few weeks later, her manager called her in for a one-on-one.
Now, normally, new employees don’t get much feedback early on. But her manager gave her a single piece of advice:
“Be careful who you associate with. It will determine if you thrive here.”
Yes. I think this is very relatable it happens a lot in Ghana. Is good to have social skills in addition to your academic qualification