Getting ahead at work may come down to something simpler than most people think: how quickly you respond. That’s according to Dallas Dolen, a PwC leader who has spent more than two decades involved in performance evaluations and promotion decisions. Based in San Jose, California, Dolen currently oversees 7,500 employees at the Big Four accounting firm, giving him a broad view of what separates employees who climb the ladder from those who stall out.
Responsiveness Over Everything
Dolen told Business Insider that the single most important behavior for advancement is responsiveness — being willing to pick up the phone, reply to an urgent message, or step in when a colleague or manager needs help. “You have to be willing to, at midnight, jump on the plane,” he said. He credited much of his own career growth to consistently showing up when problems arose, though he was careful to note that being dependable doesn’t mean being available 24/7. In fact, he suggested that employees who seem perpetually overwhelmed may raise red flags, especially now that AI tools can help streamline routine work.
Visibility and Relationships Matter Too
Career coach Kyle Elliott, writing for Entrepreneur, has argued that strong performance alone “is rarely enough” for a promotion. He noted that managers overseeing large teams often don’t see every employee’s full contributions, so workers should frame updates around measurable business impact rather than simply listing completed tasks. Elliott also emphasized building genuine relationships with people who can vouch for an employee’s work, and demonstrating skills for the next role before officially stepping into it. As he put it, promotions hinge less on mastering a current job and more on proving readiness for the next one.