[wavemode]

> As an individual contributor (IC), your work spoke for itself; people could easily see it. Plain and simple. As a manager, it’s less black and white, and surprisingly, for many new managers, part of your job now involves managing how others see you.

This doesn't only apply to managers. Even as an individual software engineer, the more you move up (if moving up is something that matters to you), the more you have to play politics.

Your work can't possibly "speak for itself", since the people it's speaking to (the managers with power over your career) don't speak code.