Itis more often the work environment that develops the self centred attitudes that we see in people at the work place. The work environment is competitive and each person for themselves is heavily felt in work environments. Stop referring to parenting patterns. I have been polite, courteous, highly ethical and supportive of those above me, below me and worked as a team member, and i am no further ahead in the working world than those who aimed for themselves, set goals and sought to achieve them no matter what. We often look at these people as being self centred, selfish, greedy or what-not....but the end result is usually further advancement than people like myself who follow all the rules and be a good employee. The culture of our corporate society does not encourage morality, ethics, and team....it teaches law to protect your own butt, political correctness to become two faced, and how to manipulate a group of people to acheive something for the company at all cost to the people.