"Getting ahead in business means getting noticed,
but working hard makes you almost invisible.
Therefore it's a lot better to work hard at getting yourself noticed.
What senior management likes more than anything else is
junior managers who show signs of initiative and volunteer to do things.
Most of the reason for this is that the more junior managers volunteer to do,
the less senior managers will have to do themselves.
Of course, volunteering for things and doing things are two different matters",
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006/oct/18/workandcareers.healthandwellbeing