Typically, it's kind of a game cycle..all average workers will receive their chance(ultimately the big boss decide when is yours time). When your is turn not yet(typically their excuse "you are not ready", "others too good", "it very competitive this year", no "vacant" and etc), will surely put your side first for time being, and you only have to wait till your turn come....
But, if you are somebody they see with very high potential, they will never wait to load you with as much as possible high profile tasks to justify your promotion every year.

Ranking grade..
 

Sometimes i really doubt the ranking system. In my dept, i feel that it is all based on impression and favoritism.. Its like a show and tell session and past records do show that if one threaten to quit, ranking grades for next year will be good.

Really kelong.

I'm afraid my turn will never come cos some of those who joined later than me are always nominated for high profile work or comms etc. I believe there's a 'fave' list in the bosses' mind cos it's always the same staff being nom for comm. Then the bosses still said 'oh cos what u are doing are routine work unlike who and who....' My ex-big boss asked me how long i hv worked here, I said xxx and she seemed surprised that I hv been working for quite a awhile. I was thinking so all these years of hard work was for nth cos my boss don't even bother abt it. No wonder my cep has never been reviewed for the first 6 years which I felt was the cause of my average grade all this while. I hv done so much for my sec as my sup always delegate a lot of work and meetings to me which I hv always diligently followed up. Every year, I hv this strong feeling that I was being swept to the bottom few of the ranking of my dept. Some younger staff who worked lesser years than me in other dept are alr promoted. I won't feel so used if my sup never gv me much work to do since there's no recognition. My colleague told me 'don't worry just do ur job well and the boss will know it and reward u'. Think it only works if its the right boss.

Such is life. when things dont break down and keep moving, nobody notice. When you are missing, then they realize your importance.

It's the harsh reality sadly. What's the point of doing work review when the ranking has alr been done. There's no discussion or anything with my sup or bosses. My sup will only tell me what new targets I need to do. Agreed with u, I hv a co-worker who threatened to resign afew times and he was promoted. I feel that when a staff has been working silently for long, the mgt somehow knows that the person will never leave and pass the person over for promotion.

Ya right! I hv been helping my sup to manage our MSOs in our sec and I hv been taken for granted as I wld do most of the work myself. So when I'm not ard, they will then 'disturb' my sup who will ask them to follow up. But I hv told them that it's not fair that they always pass the work to me as I alr hv a lot work to do just cos they are scared of my sup.

Average mean most(70%, 80%...) people belong to that category. You are definitely not alone feeling such...

Consider to Leave....If you feel strongly you are seriously under-paid in comparison with market rate, seriously under-rated in performance as you have bigger dream and ambition to fulfll ....or you can't continue to work having to worry being label by other "can't make it".....

You current pay(relative with others) is something bosses may consider before promoting you. You will never knew how much all of your colleagues getting, only the big boss knew. Who know if some are getting slightly lesser than you, happen that both of your doing similar work....

Promotion is not free lunch... it comes with a price to pay

Nobody is indispensable....threatened to quit for promotion is silly, bosses may rather make plan for a standby or reserve, incase you leave them abruptly with tones of leftover work.

You co-worker who threatened...surely average performer, but work extra hard for very long, happened that turn for promotion come along

private sector bah haha

It's never free lunch I know that as I worked my ass off for it. The year before my promo was the most stress year I had. Then some other ppl including my sup still asked me how long I hv worked cos long ago it's default promo based on seniority. Well, I believe I hv done much more work or even same kinda work as those who were promoted with higher pay. So don't know what they are complaining abt. One of my col who gt default promo long ago commented 'it's Gd that at least ur gt promoted for ur hard work'. Those who gt default promo somehow had the thinking that I was lucky to get my promo before my 'default' year. Actually there's no more default promo now as everyone hv to work for it if they want promo.