Promotable tasks are those that help you get ahead because the higher-ups care about them,

Before getting started on a new assignment, make sure you understand what you need to do, how you need to do it, and by when you need to do it. Bundle your questions, escalate them one level at a time, and show your homework with each person. Minimize others’ workload when asking for help. If you see a problem or opportunity, be proactive about

Ask how things are going.

“Here’s my question—and here’s why I’m asking this question.”

Identify the swimlanes: figure out who is in charge of what and, when in doubt, ask for permission before starting new tasks or sharing work outside of your team. Identify the first loyalties: uncover who is loyal to whom and what the cliques are. Identify the comfort zones: figure out the behaviors, jokes, language, and conversation topics your

What (if anything) do I need to do to follow up?

Work backward from the end goal

What would I do next if I “owned” this situation fully and didn’t have someone else to go to for help?

Curiosity and entitlement are not the same thing.