HITTING THE C-SUITE SPOT: HOW TO CLIMB THE CORPORATE LADDER

Since I started this series of articles looking at leadership roles and trends, I’ve been asked on a couple of occasions about how to make the leap from middle to senior management – what skills are required, how to prepare and so on.

?In my work heading up Amiqus’ Executive Search service, I’m fortunate to be privy to the skills and competencies that studios look for in their senior leadership teams – as well as having worked with those looking to take the step up into these roles. I’d like to share some tips here, as well as highlight some brilliant articles to look at if you’d like to take a deeper dive…

• Define Your Career Path: Take the time to clearly consider your career goals and the specific C-Suite role you’d like to achieve. Understand the responsibilities, skill sets, and qualifications required for that position. This will help you chart a focused course of action.
• Invest in Continuous Learning: The games industry, and wider business world, is constantly evolving, and so should you. Stay up to date with industry trends, technological advancements, and best practices.
• Build Leadership Skills: Hone your leadership abilities by looking for opportunities to lead projects and mentor colleagues. Develop your communication, decision-making, and emotional intelligence skills.
• Build a Strong Network: Networking can open doors to opportunities, provide valuable insights, and offer support and guidance along your career path. Attend industry events and engage with your peers both online and offline.
• Demonstrate Value: To be considered for C-Suite roles, you should aim to deliver results and demonstrate your value to the studio. Take on challenging projects, and showcase your ability to drive innovation, solve complex problems, and generate revenue.
• Seek Feedback and Mentorship: Ask for feedback from colleagues, supervisors, and mentors to identify areas for improvement and growth. Actively seek out mentors who can offer guidance, wisdom, and advice based on their own experiences navigating the C-Suite.
• Embrace Strategic Thinking: Develop your strategic thinking skills by analysing market dynamics, identifying opportunities for growth and expansion, and making data-driven decisions.
• Maintain Work-Life Balance: While ambition is essential, it's equally important to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Prioritise self-care, family, and hobbies to avoid burnout – this is vital if you are to have long-term success in your career.

Those are some of the key areas you might like to consider as you embark on your journey towards the C-Suite. And here are some great articles to explore further…

Who better to talk to about hitting the C-Suite spot than those who have made the leap? And Forbes does exactly that, with nine members of the Young Entrepreneur Council recommending some of the steps professionals can take now to build towards a leadership role .

?The CEO Magazine has an article by Martin G Moore, author of the book ‘No Bullshit Leadership ’ which offers five ways to successfully break into the C-Suite.

And CEO Worldwide provides a ‘definite guide’ to making it to C-Suite. It’s something of a ‘C-Suite 101’, but worth reading to ensure you have the basics.

If you’re considering a move into senior leadership, I hope this has been useful. As ever, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

?Photo by Lindsay Henwood on Unsplash