Getting Promoted

Everyone told you to find a mentor. You found one. Maybe several. You had the coffees, the check-ins, the thoughtful career conversations where she looked at you with deep, meaningful eye contact and said things like "you just need to keep doing what you're doing" and

Your manager uses phrases like "I don't know what we'd do without her" in your review — and then promotes Chad.

You're a top performer and still getting passed over for promotion. The problem isn't your work. It's the system you're playing in.