Corporate Cuttlefish

A person, typically lacking principles and/or integrity who demonstrates duplicitous behaviour in order to climb the corporate ladder, contradicting their true thoughts/beliefs in the process.

Similar to the male cuttlefish that has been observed swimming between a female and a rival male displaying different messages to both of them. On his left half, the one the female could see, he flashed zebra-stripe courtship colours to advertise his interest. But on his right half, facing the rival male, he flashed the mottled colours of a female. As far as the competitor was concerned, he was swimming next to two females, oblivious to the act of cross-dressing/seduction going on right next to him. The cheater, meanwhile, prospers.

Look at that group of corporate cuttlefish brown-nosing management's latest harebrained initiative.