I haven't received a promised promotion. My boss announced that all issues, including my promotion, are "in an envelope" and will be discussed in six weeks at the annual company meeting. I asked him how I should view this and he said to wait and see. Is this common or fair?
Little of what you describe sounds fair; rather, your boss sounds manipulative and thoughtless about how this uncertainty affects you. Rarely does this kind of behavior lead to better employee performance. Your boss lacks fundamental consideration for others and is a poor example of how to be a good leader.
That said, there's not much to be gained by approaching him again. Doing so will probably only feed his perversity and might somehow make you seem more desperate. Our advice is to ignore the issue as best as possible. We understand this isn't easy, but in the long run you'll fare better if you don't play into whatever satisfaction your boss derives from keeping you in limbo. Concentrate on your performance in the job, since the best way to get noticed by others in management is to excel at what you do. At the same time, quietly look around the organization to see if there's some other job you'd like with a different boss. Also spend a few minutes each day searching the Internet for interesting opportunities outside the organization. If you find something of great interest, apply for it as a test case.
Most of all, try to be philosophical about your situation. Perhaps there's a better future for you somewhere else that will become apparent by the annual meeting. If you use the time to see what other jobs are available, you'll be ready to act if your promotion doesn't materialize as promised.