Lon More
This isn't an issue that's restricted to promotion in the ATC environment.
These days - and it doesn't really matter where you're employed - any managerial position is target-oriented. If you have targets that say "Cut costs by 30%", then you're under-performing (in the eyes of the levels above you) if you don't achieve that target. And given that your bonus is going to be directly linked to the degree of target achievement, you'll want to try for 40%.
It didn't take me long to learn that it's not what I considered to be important, but rather what they considered to be important.
Fact of life, as unpalatable as it may be