Bragging
Funny thing I noticed: You can recognize if someone has found their position on the hierarchical ladder by paying attention to what they are bragging about:
As long as they have not reached the position they strive for, they brag about how much they work, how little free time they have and try to convey the general impression that the world would fall apart if they weren’t at their job for one day.
Once they think they’ve finally made it, they brag about how little they actually work, how much days off they take and how life outside of work is so much more pleasant.
It is also a good method to differentiate between the ones that work because an inner need drives them, and the ones that merely don’t know what to do else.