Microsophist (He’s BACK) brings up a very interesting point on upward mobility within any large company: It’s all about the optics. [here]
What are optics? It’s a term I first heard used in reference to the political culture in British Columbia. It described the massaging news to make it look good. Effectively, it means the same as spinning the news.
At any large corporation, it is not about getting things done; it is about looking good and drawing (positive) attention to yourself as someone who manages up well.
The side-effect of this is that leaders that manage both up and down well are seen as unusual.