In meetings, he who writes the minutes determines the outcome. The less the knowledge, the more jealously it is preserved. Societies with only a few precious facts make their people memorize them and pledge to faithfully abide by them. Excellence increases demands. Critics gather to spot tinier flaws as work nears perfection.
Promptness invites impatience.
In correspondence, the faster you answer a letter, the faster your correspondent will answer giving you something with a shorter deadline. This reaches a fever pitch with electronic mail. Skills diminish professionalism. Engineers who admit to drafting skills are vulnerable to assignment of drafting work, just to help out. Similarly, female professionals should hide any clerical skills lest they be asked to pinch hit for one of the secretaries in the event of illness.