So, you want to become a C-level executive? Take a lesson from these 52 power moves that will take you from zero to legend over time.

There is no one-way path to the C-Suite. Many common themes should be understood as table stakes.

The key is to realize that what takes you from one leadership level to the next differs.

If you take only one lesson away from these tips, it is this:

Your path to CXO will run through your relationships.

You will only rise with the door being opened. Cultivate relationships, and you will be well on your way.

Now, let's get into the 52 steps.

Childhood and Adolescence: Building the Foundation

Theme 1: Self-Discovery and Education

1. Read Voraciously: Encourage curiosity. Read everything, from classics to modern self-help, to understand the world better. Leaders read for knowledge and conversation.
2. Excel Academically: Aim for top grades. It's the first ladder to scholarships and prestigious schools.
3. Play Team Sports: They teach leadership, teamwork, and resilience.
4. Seek Mentors: Find people who inspire you. They could be teachers or community leaders. Your parents may know a thing or two as well.
5. Develop a Strong Work Ethic: Start with chores or part-time jobs. You don't need to worry about money. Focus on the quality of your work.
6. Learn to Save, then Invest: Understand the value of money. Save a portion of any money you receive. As you build your savings, invest aggressively for the future. Got questions? Could you ask your favorite A.I. tool?
7. Cultivate Soft Skills: Learn to communicate effectively and listen actively—practice often as this skill is critical to success.
8. Embrace Diversity: Make friends from different cultural backgrounds.

Theme 2: Character Building

9. Practice Empathy: Understand others' feelings and perspectives.

1. Build Integrity: Always be honest and do the right thing.
2. Learn Resilience: Failures are lessons that give you a roadmap to success. Never Quit. You can learn from the failure and try not to repeat it.
3. Cultivate Discipline: Stick to your classroom studies and responsibilities, even when it's hard.
4. Develop Confidence, Ditch Imposter Syndrome: Belief in your abilities and worth.
5. Be Kind: Help others whenever you can without expecting anything in return.

Early Adulthood: Expanding Horizons

Theme 3: Education and Early Career

15. Pursue Higher Education: Aim for degrees that align with your career aspirations. College teaches you how to learn and how to become an adult.

1. Network Intelligently: Connect with professionals and peers in your field. You will grow faster by learning from people and experiences.
2. Gain Diverse Experience: Internships and jobs in different fields can broaden your perspective. Additionally, tap into the arts. Find an arts sub-culture that resonates with your style.
3. Learn Another Language: Learn Mandarin or Spanish to engage with more people. Take in different cultural perspectives. If you don't like those, could you pick your favorite?
4. Develop Tech Savviness: Understand digital tools like artificial intelligence and how they can be leveraged in business.
5. Find Your Passion: Engage in various activities to discover what drives you. Pursue your passions.
6. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Know where you want to be in 5, 10, and 20 years. Use the S.M.A.R.T. framework. You can change what you set along the way.

Theme 4: Personal Branding

22. Maintain a Journal: Write daily. Highlight achievements, experiences, and skills. This will become your resume. Even better, could you write about your successes and failures? Keep your thoughts in a second that allows you to maintain a second brain.

1. Build an Online Presence: Use platforms like LinkedIn or a personal website. Showcase your professional persona.
2. Dress for Success: Your attire should reflect your desired professionalism. Do you. Don't let someone else's definition of success equal your own.
3. Public Speaking: Join groups like Toastmasters to hone this crucial skill. Take opportunities, small or large, to share your thoughts.
4. Write Thoughtfully: Blog or publish articles on your interests and expertise. Additionally, pay attention to the power of the hand-written word. Write notes on your personal stationery for a more significant impact.
5. Be Consistent: Your brand should reflect your career goals and personal values.

Mid-Career: Gaining Momentum

Theme 5: Professional Development

28. Keep Learning: Continue your education, whether certifications or new degrees. M.B.A.? J.D.? Ph.D.? Whether professional education or otherwise, become a continuous learner.

1. Master Time Management: Prioritize tasks and manage your time effectively.
2. Ask for Feedback: Regularly seek and act on constructive criticism. Know that not all feedback is worthy of your time, but you say thank you at every turn.
3. Adopt a Global Mindset: Understand different cultures and global business practices. Seek opportunities that provide options for traveling abroad.
4. Learn to Lead: Take on leadership roles, even in small projects. Invest in other people's development. Be the leader that you desire for yourself. Make the mental shift from "doing" to "leading."
5. Specialize: Become an expert in a niche area of your industry. After you have a specialty, you can go wide as a generalist.
6. Navigate Office Politics: Understand the dynamics but stay above the fray. Through these systems is the path toward success.

Theme 6: Networking and Relationships

35. Build a Support System: Surround yourself with people who support your goals. You are the average of the top 10 people you spend time with.

1. Seek Out Both (New) Mentors and Sponsors: Delivery flawlessly. Where you need help, ask for mentorship. Be sure to ask for mentors at all levels of leadership. Executives who will advocate for your advancement will find you.
2. Cultivate Reciprocal Relationships: Strengthening relationships should be your superpower. All roads lead through people.
3. Mentor Others: Coaching is a powerful way to reinforce knowledge and skills. It is also the path to exponential growth of others around you. Give away your knowledge.

Senior-Level: Establishing Authority

Theme 7: Strategic Leadership

39. Think Strategically: Learn to see the big picture and plan multiple steps.

1. Drive Change: Be an agent for positive organizational change. Develop a change management strategy that you can execute over and over again.
2. Make Tough Decisions: Develop the fortitude to make hard choices when necessary.
3. Communicate Vision: Articulate your goals and the path to achieve them. Communicate using language that is easy to understand. Repeat your message in various formats.
4. Negotiate Wisely: Whether for salary or resources, hone your negotiation skills.
5. Balance: Learn to maintain a healthy life balance. Never neglect your health or your family.

Theme 8: Executive Presence

45. Refine Your Executive Presence: Your demeanor should exude confidence and competence.

1. Manage Your Image: Be mindful of how you are always perceived. When you run into challenges, actively manage to maintain your brand.
2. Understand Finance: Understanding the numbers is crucial even if you're outside finance.
3. Develop a Track Record: Your history of successes should speak for you. Your failures are meant to learn from with humility. Learn as much from your failures as you do from your success. They are just as crucial as your wins.
4. Be Politically Savvy: Understand your organization's and industry's power structures.

C-Level: Reaching the Pinnacle

Theme 9: Leadership and Influence

50. Demonstrate Thought Leadership: Share insights and perspectives that showcase your depth of knowledge.

1. Cultivate Executive Relationships: Engage with other C-level execs to learn and share experiences.
2. Give Back: Contribute to your community by serving on a board or doing community service.

Bonus Pro Tips for the Ambitious:

Bonus Tip 1: Ask the Right Questions

Learn the art of asking the right questions to seek understanding. Ask questions for knowledge and to build people up.

‍

Bonus Tip 2: Sharpen Decision-Making Under Pressure

Regularly put yourself in high-pressure situations to improve your composure and decision-making abilities.

‍

Bonus Tip 3: Embrace Public Failure

Take on high-risk projects that stretch your abilities. Whether you succeed or fail, you'll be noticed and can learn valuable lessons.

‍

Bonus Tip 4: Forge Alliances Across Industries

Build a network that transcends your current industry. This provides broader insights and opportunities.

‍

Bonus Tip 5: Master the Art of Listening

Develop deep listening skills. This means understanding the words and the emotions and motivations behind them.

‍

Bonus Tip 6: Invest in Personal Development Outside Work

Try new hobbies or experiences that challenge your beliefs and stimulate your mind. Journal your experiences.

‍

Bonus Tip 7: Develop a Robust Personal Board of Directors

Extend your personal board of directors. Include loved ones who support and keep you grounded. Include workout partners for physical health. Include a therapist for mental health.

‍

Bonus Tip 8: Learn the Power of Saying No

Say no to requests that don't match your goals or values. If the answer is not "I would love to," say "NO".

‍

Bonus Tip 9: Divorce Sour Relationships

Only some relationships are worth maintaining at the same levels as your past. We all grow. Determine where to plant seeds in relationships and where to divorce.

‍

Bonus Tip 10: Plan for Serendipity

Put yourself in situations where luck is more likely to strike. Visit the Opera. Take in a game of Pickleball. Take in a game of cricket when you would not have otherwise. Find social gatherings where magic may happen.

‍

TL;DR:

Work with and through people for the win. Relationships are the key.

‍

Up Next: We are in the season of layoffs; boss up to be ready.