1. The people pleaser types who know how to use the right technical vocabulary, massage the ego of superiors, attend parties, etc. They typically grow into project managers and IDU heads.

2. The dependency creator types who isn't just a nerd but also knows how to keep control of their systems in their own hands, share only little or ambiguous information rather than open source all knowledge, maybe even fake bugs every now and then to signal who really controls the show, etc. These grow into software architects, CTOs and other roles.

If you aren't one of these two types, a long-term career in corporate IT isn't really for you. You might gain some experience for a while but eventually end up being used or becoming punch bags for these other two types.