But they're not the whole story. Don't ignore the role that politics plays. True, hiring managers emphasize accomplishments and intelligence. But they also place a big premium on their own personal comfort with the candidates for the job. They look for people they can trust.
Promoted managers are talented and politically capable.
Action to Take It's not just who you know that counts. It's who knows you. When you're gunning for a promotion, you're competing against many other candidates. The whole purpose of the selection process is to pick the best person from a pool of applicants. But most of the time the job is wired.