[dreamfactored]

It's very surprising how rare it is for employees to find out exactly how money flows into and through their organisation. I suspect developers are the worst here. But when you think about it, it's basic common sense to understand what pays your rent and how your relative value figures in that system. And if you think of a company as a system, an automated machine for generating revenue, it starts to become hard to resist having a good nose around the contraption with a screwdriver.

That oddball dev who started hanging out with the sales and marketing people, forwards strategy and innovation articles to management, and started churning out powerpoints is the one who knows what's up. It's not just 'playing politics', it's developing deeper and wider situational awareness of the company and the market. It's stacking the odds in your favour and it's even more effective when so few do it.