The Unspoken Rules for Getting Promoted
3 Things High Performers Do
I was bringing a baseball bat to a hockey game.
That's how Harvard career coach Gorick Ng describes it.
Swinging hard. Working late. Following all the rules.
And watching others get promoted ahead of me.
It wasn't that I wasn't good enough.
I was playing the wrong game entirely.
What No One Tells Us
The workplace isn't fair.
It's not even trying to be.
Those engineers who get ahead understand something crucial:
Your job description is the minimum, not the blueprint for success.
It's what keeps you employed, not what gets you promoted.
Rule #1: Take Ownership, Not Orders
When your boss gives you work, most engineers just nod and start typing.
The promoted ones? They ask four questions no one else thinks to ask:
WHY is this needed? (What's the real objective?)
WHAT exactly should the final product look like?
HOW should I approach this? (What method do you prefer?)
BY WHEN do you truly need this? (Not the official deadline—the real one)
These questions transform you from task-taker to problem-solver in ten seconds flat.
And bosses can feel the difference immediately.
Rule #2: Be Seen, Not Just Successful
Here's the uncomfortable truth:
If your hard work happens in silence, it might as well not happen at all.
Promotions don't go to the hardest workers.
They go to the people who come to mind when opportunities arise.
This doesn't mean bragging. It means:
Speaking up in meetings (even when your heart pounds)
Building relationships (even when it feels awkward)
Making your work visible (even when it feels like showing off)
Your boss can't reward what they don't remember.
Rule #3: Find the Hidden Doors
Every day, invisible opportunities surround you.
A chance to volunteer for a project. A moment to offer a solution. An opening to connect with a decision-maker.
Most engineers walk right past these doors, waiting for formal invitations that never come.
The promoted ones? They spot these openings and step through.
They understand a powerful truth: In the workplace, permission is rarely given. It's taken.
The Outsider's Edge
If you didn't grow up knowing these rules, you probably feel at a disadvantage.
Here's the truth:
Being an outsider is actually your secret weapon.
You bring perspectives insiders can't see. You question assumptions they take for granted. You offer solutions they'd never imagine.
The very differences that make you feel out of place are exactly what can make you invaluable.
The Truth About Promotions
No one gets promoted for doing their job.
They get promoted for making their boss's job easier. They get promoted for solving problems no one asked them to solve. They get promoted for seeing the bigger picture while others focus on their tasks.
Hard work matters. But it's just the price of admission.
The real game is played on a different level entirely.
Now that you know, you're not just swinging a baseball bat anymore.
You're finally playing the right game.
Making your work visible is definitely a key point here.
As a manager, it's simply impossible for me to know all the challenges that my individual team members have overcome. Giving me some visibility gives me subtle nudge when promotion time comes around.
It's unfortunate, but true. We're not memory machines.
As such, I'm also developing a way to keep my Director informed about what I'm doing, in a method that suits him, cause he's 10x busier than I am, so it's visibility problem is also likely 10x worse than what I'm facing.