Promotions and layoffs have nothing to do with skills or abilities
I agree 100% on promotion In Q not being related to skills or abilities. It is purely based on how many name sake "directors" rear end you kissed! The review process and promotion guidelines is basically "no guidelines". Your manager could be clueless or totally in touch with what you are doing to speak on behalf of you in the review board, But if there are no "directors" in the review board who like you very much, or any one of them did not like you enough (perhaps because you did not give his project priority or you did not socialize with him, or rubbed him the wrong way), you are mot likely to not have got a promotion or a good review in terms of financial rewards...