A common goal of our proteges is to reach (and thrive in) the C-Suite. And, a number of our professional mentors have experience of C-Suite roles, including as CEOs, CFOs, CROs and more – they’re available for one-on-one discussions with our proteges, who can book sessions with them to explore their personal circumstances, ambitions and strengths, usually at rates of between £100 and £200 per hour session. 

One of our proteges told us about an interactive executive education programme from a prestigious US university which costs over $4000 per participant for a roughly 10-hour group programme excluding breaks and the final certificate awarding ceremony. Steep, but clearly valuable to some as the programme has run multiple times. However, as many others can’t invest such sums in their careers yet, this post discusses alternatives, including a book by executive advisor and coach Cassandra Frangos (usually selling for $10-$20) and some of our free Routes to the Top articles. 

One of the big challenges is that there is a variety of possible paths to the C-Suite, and the right path for any one person depends on a range of factors. Their mix of experience, including operational and strategic. Their appetite to take risk (including moving organisations and/or locations for different opportunities, or starting their own ventures). The networks they’ve developed, and followership they have. Timing. Capitalising on opportunities that arise suddenly. And more… Which is why at Protagion we strongly encourage proteges with this goal to gather input from a range of sources, including professional mentors and coaches with their interests at heart. Knowing themselves well is crucial too, especially knowing why they personally want to be in the C-Suite (given the significant – and sustained – effort it takes). 

Read more to explore common reasons professionals aim for the C-Suite, possible pathways to get there, and some general tips to help you boost your chances. We also link to some of our past ‘Routes to the Top’ articles covering different industries or disciplines, plus an excerpt from our ‘Managing a Business’ panel discussion during our Professional Development Conference. Please do enjoy reading further, and reach out if we can help on your journey. 

Isn’t it curious how we as humans love shortcuts and simple solutions? For good reason: heuristics or hacks can dramatically reduce the energy we need to spend thinking or investigating i.e. lower ‘cognitive load’. ‘Social proof’ is particularly compelling to us: if others we respect endorse something, it must be great! Examples of such credibility signals include the professional credentials we have, our alma maters, the companies we’ve worked for, and others vouching for us – in effect, all stamps of approval affecting our personal brands. A consequence is that perceptions matter and can quickly become reality, including when it comes to performance and achievement in a work environment. 

Thus, what others feel and say about you matters significantly. In a professional context, influential sponsors can have a major impact on your performance bonuses and career path. And, sponsorship becomes increasingly important the more senior you are in your career, particularly as you aim for the C-Suite: you need to be well-known, and respected, by large groups of stakeholders, at all levels of the organisation, and both internally and externally. A successful CEO, for example, is highly likely to have reinforcement from a lot of her Non-Executive Directors (NEDs), who may also have actively supported her appointment. And, new NEDs probably needed endorsement by influential peers and seniors to join the boards they’re on. While we often think of sponsors as needing to be within your organisation (as that’s where many career advancement opportunities arise), active support from other advocates can help our careers too – for example, others in your profession, ex-colleagues and previous bosses. 

Trust me: sponsorship is important. Earlier in my career, a boss told me how he was spending time meeting one-on-one with members of the executive committee to understand how they thought about him and his work. At the time, I felt this was self-serving and manipulative, and I naively wondered why they didn’t already know what value he was adding or not. Some of my revulsion stemmed from having seen plenty of politically-savvy people achieve success by schmoozing, but without ‘genuine’ value-add – something I still feel is dishonest. However, now I also know just how important his networking with the influencers was: it’s not enough to be effective in your current role, even if you are recognised as a stand-out performer. This will not by itself guarantee you get opportunities to move into your next desired roles. You need to both deliver your current organisational objectives and gain exposure to and sponsorship from executive leaders i.e. add genuine value and be widely viewed as capable of doing even more. 

So, how can you actively improve your sponsorship? Read more for discussion on how business relationships matter, building strong impressions and addressing perception gaps, the marketing concept of superfans, and a proactive, three-step approach to gaining further influential sponsors. Let’s go! 

David Alexander has had a varied 35 year international career so far. During that time he has managed Life, Pensions, Health and General Insurance, and Reinsurance portfolios, underpinned by his actuarial background. His functional roles spread across technical, management, governance, non-executive director, and business development roles - sometimes in combination! Geographically, David has covered all parts of Asia, including as CEO of the Hong Kong branch of a global reinsurer, and the United Kingdom, where he is now a consultant and advisor. These are David’s reflections on the skills, experience and behaviours that helped him on his career journey:

​​​“Interested in a varied career? My career story may be able to give you a helping hand.

Looking back, my father gave me some advice at a relatively young age that I should get myself a trade or profession as the basis of my career. It was only much later that I saw what a good investment that was. I happened to become an actuary, but you may be an engineer, a surveyor, lawyer, doctor etc etc. It doesn’t really matter, but he was right that having a profession brings with it an ethical foundation and some professional support as well the technical knowledge you gain through examinations and continuing professional development.

Any profession brings advantages in securing work and gaining the respect of your colleagues. It also brings responsibilities towards the public interest, your profession and of course your client(s). A highly regarded profession brings opportunities. However, whilst that qualification gives you a springboard for your career, you still have to deliver in your work life in order to continue making progress.

​Opportunities also bring change, and that means stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new. You need to be motivated to take on the challenge and have some strategies to give yourself the best chance of success. The reward is potentially a series of engaging roles and development opportunities. These in turn lead to more substantial jobs and challenges. How far you expand your horizons and how substantial the roles you aim for is really up to you.

Let me tell you about some of the opportunities I was fortunate enough to come across and brave enough to have a go at and how I was able to be successful at them. Read more for my reflections...