Sage advice, or just more hot air?

Is a willingness to get your hands dirty and do work that is 'beneath you' the secret to getting ahead?  I've always found it amazing how much captial one can build by doing relatively simple tasks that others aren't interested in doing - say cleaning up the area coffee pot.

Firday's Marketplace report had an interesting commentary on this topic (and the relative uselessnous of typical career advice).  Check it out at: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/05/30/career_advice/