How can you ascend to the top of your company without kissing ***? Is that even probable?

Sure, if you are the real deal, meaning that you can do what you say you can and have a good demeanor. Patience helps, too. Believe it or not, people tend to like people that don't care for office politics, because they are mysterious; they're behaving in a manner that many wouldn't. Stoicism has its benefits in certain industries.