I knew it! The art that is workplace politics goes way back to our days as hairy apes.

On promotions, Stanford neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky references baboons:

Big sharp teeth and lots of muscle have tons to do with which males become high-ranking; social intelligence and impulse control have everything to do with which males remain high-ranking.

He also says the best way to minimise workplace tension is by having lots of small groups, meaning people can move from one to another if there’s some small conflict:

Among lots of hunter-gatherers, you don’t settle the fight with someone by punching it out. You go and hang with your cousins in the next valley for some time instead.

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