The PwC leader on promotions

Dallas Dolen leads PwC's US technology, media, and telecommunications practice, overseeing about seven thousand five hundred people based in San Jose. He has spent nearly two decades conducting performance reviews and promotion meetings.

Responsiveness matters most

Dolen says the most important factor for promotion is responsiveness: answering when someone needs help and stepping in whatever the assignment. He credits his own advancement in over twenty-one years at the firm to willingness to get the job done.

“You have to be willing to, at midnight, jump on the plane.”

But not constant busyness

Being responsive does not mean working all hours. If an employee is too busy, especially in the AI era when technology boosts productivity, it could be a red flag, Dolen said.

“Activity for the sake of activity is not right.”

Face time is critical

Dolen says face time is another critical factor for promotion. He tries to build a collaborative team culture and make himself very accessible, always saying yes to requests for fifteen or thirty minutes with him.

Make time for your boss

Employees can stand out by using time with their boss to ensure he is on board with a plan or to explain an idea. Dolen emphasizes this is not about the boss making time for them.

“It's not me making time for them. It's them making time for me.”