The Path to the C-Suite is Far: You Can’t Get There Alone

‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’

It’s a great quote—short, powerful, easy to remember. But most of us know that going far is harder than going fast. Going together means working with people. And people can be a mixed bag: motivating, empowering, and inspiring. And… frustrating, confusing, and, just plain annoying.

For professionals who want to enter the C-suite, learning how to navigate relationships effectively isn’t optional—it’s essential. Leadership isn’t about individual excellence; it’s about getting results through others. There is no going alone, no matter how fast you are. Being at the top of the organisation means helping everyone go together.

Be part of the team, if you want to be the head of the team

Whether you’re leading a department, managing a small project, or collaborating with a peer, it’s critical to frame the relationship as a collective. The success is not only jointly shared but jointly earned. There’s an instinct sometimes to get competitive. Instead, remind yourself—and others—that long term, consistent results are almost impossible to accomplish solo. When you commit to working together, you eliminate many of the small irritations that can derail momentum.

Research consistently shows that teamwork isn’t just a feel-good concept; it drives measurable business success. A Forbes article found that collaborative environments were five times more likely to be high-performing than those that weren’t. Effective teams enhance communication, improve decision-making, and drive innovation—core competencies that should be valued by any leader aiming for the C-suite.

Synergy beats efficiency: the friction Is the point

Yes, working alone can sometimes feel faster. When you bring others in, things slow down—more opinions, more discussions, more potential for disagreement. But that’s not a bad thing. Leadership isn’t about hyper-efficiency; it’s about generating synergy. The best leaders leverage different perspectives, not just to streamline processes, but to create better outcomes. The more people who push on things, the more battle-tested that idea becomes.

Even when it feels bad, that too has a healthy check on us. Leaders have to learn to do things in the way that is most productive—that will let them go farthest, even when it’s not the easiest path. Learning to accept and embrace difficult conversations is critical to C-suite success.

When you prioritise synergy, you will lose efficiency—and that’s a good thing. Your teams will come to value more than just speed at any cost. They’ll become comfortable with a healthy amount of debate, learning how to challenge ideas without undermining collaboration. Testing theories and getting buy-in from others are critical skill sets for C-suite leaders—and those who aspire to be one.

The financial impact of synergy is well documented. A McKinsey report found that organisations with highly collaborative teams saw profit margins nearly 30% higher than those with siloed, individualistic cultures. While efficiency may get quick results, synergy delivers sustainable, long-term value.

Adaptability is your superpower: companies who can adapt, will win

The higher you go, the more unpredictable the landscape. The most successful leaders aren’t just the smartest or most experienced—they’re the most adaptable. The ability to adjust, learn, and pivot in real time is what differentiates those who thrive from those who struggle in an ever-evolving business environment.

But here’s the part that’s often overlooked: adaptability isn’t built in isolation.

The skill of adaptation is forged in challenging environments—and in business, those challenges always involve other people. Learning to work together sharpens your ability to navigate complex relationships, communicate effectively, and adjust in response to different personalities, perspectives, and priorities.

Conclusion

No matter how far you go on your own, you will eventually need others. The sooner you build the skill of collaboration, the better equipped you’ll be to lead at the highest levels.

It’s easy to focus on what feels realistic—and on your own, things move faster. You make decisions quickly, execute efficiently, and avoid the friction that naturally comes with working alongside others. But that pace isn’t sustainable because it isn’t scalable.

A strategy that relies solely on you has a ceiling. Perfecting systems that only work when you’re in control isn’t leadership—it’s a bottleneck.

The more adaptable framework is one built with a team—a group of people with different strengths, insights, and perspectives. The best leaders don’t just accept this reality; they leverage it. They understand that while going alone may feel efficient in the short term, going together is what allows for true, long-term success.

The bottom line? The ability to adapt and the ability to collaborate aren’t separate skills—they reinforce each other. If you’re aiming for the C-suite, focus on developing both. Because leadership isn’t about how fast you can go. It’s about how far.

In terms of my background and expertise, I have spent my entire career working as a trusted advisor to senior leaders wanting to improve the effectiveness of themselves, their teams and their companies. Prior to starting my own consulting firm, I led the global executive assessment and development team for Cisco. Earlier in my career I? held leadership roles with RHR International, PepsiCo, Ashridge Executive Education, Hult International Business School and the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary.

This article first appeared on The Robert Kovach Blog.