It still cracks me up that people think being rude to others is a way to get ahead. It almost always backfires. I wonder if some people try to mimic an "alpha boardroom" dynamic - we all want to be taken seriously after all - but don't quite get it right. I've worked with plenty of rainmakers who "call the shots" and "say it like it is" but that is only one part of how they operate. In fairness, I suppose, being overly nice is also problematic...