It's really not that simple.

Numerous times I've seen promotions going to people who were visible but didn't do the actual work. Those who share the achievements on Slack, those who talk a lot, get to meetings with directors, those who try to present the work.

For the vast majority of people and cases, it really is that simple - but like I already said, "the process doesn’t have to be transparent, or consistent, or fair - in-fact it rarely is". There are exceptions to every rule, but for most people, it really does come down to some self reflection:

1. Do I consistently deliver more (in output, impact, or reliability) than peers at my pay level?

2. Is my work visible and tied to meaningful business outcomes, rather than low-impact tasks?

3. Am I known as dependable and easy to work with, especially under pressure?

4. Would the company feel a real loss-operationally or financially-if I left?

5. Have I made myself clearly more valuable to the organization than what I currently cost?