Forget your manager, forget the dummy, do an end around, start playing the game with the REAL power to be at the company, his BOSS, the next rung up the ladder. Find time to spend time with him, lunch, after meetings, whatever and whenever you can, and when you do this, don't talk at all about yourself, talk about what he wants to talk about, and find common ground, people like to talk about their selfs, what they want out of life, here is the key! When you find out what he wants or the next rung up the ladder he wants to rise to, let him know you can help him get there, that way your not a threat but a ally that will help him get there, you will be supprised to find that he will bring you along with him to the top. Forget what you want and help the REAL power to get what he wants.
It don't matter one bit how good you are if ya can't play the game better than the dummy you're talking about, the real power will just see him as someone else he can install under him that he doesn't have to worry about, the real trick is when you want to bump the real power off and take his job, it can be done, but he can't see it comming, that is if you want stoop this low. :) And that my friend is why I went into buss for my self. :)
BigMack