A mentor at Celgene advised that the best path to becoming its CFO was to leave and first become a public company CFO elsewhere. Large companies often prefer external candidates with proven executive track records for top roles, a credential that is difficult to gain by climbing the internal ladder.

When entering a new domain, don't feign expertise. Build trust faster by openly admitting "I don't know" and explicitly leaning on stakeholders for their subject matter knowledge. This positions you as a partner who values their expertise, rather than an outsider imposing solutions.

While preparing for her CFO role, Amy Weaver was told by her Investor Relations lead that while her technical answer was correct, she didn't "sound like a CFO." This highlights the crucial, often overlooked, need to adopt the communication style and vocabulary expected of a role to gain full credibility.

MasterCard's CMO advises embedding a finance professional on the marketing team who can present ROI data to leadership. Because the message comes from a non-marketer, it carries more weight and credibility with the CFO and board. This tactic acknowledges that who delivers the message is as important as the message itself.

When lawyer Amy Weaver felt unqualified for the CFO job, Salesforce COO Brett Taylor told her not to be a traditional CFO but a strategic partner. This reframing allowed her to leverage her unique skills instead of trying to mimic a predecessor, a crucial lesson for anyone taking on a stretch role.

To build alliances with C-suite peers like the CFO, a new executive should act as a 'servant leader.' Instead of asserting authority, frame your function's role as being in service of their agenda. Asking "how can we make your life easier?" builds trust and collaboration from day one.

Instead of failing with hard-to-reach C-suite targets, new reps should engage easier-to-access, adjacent personas (like insurance brokers). These conversations serve as low-stakes training, rapidly building the specific industry language and knowledge needed to credibly approach senior decision-makers.

New sales operations leaders should first solve fundamental problems like data accuracy. This initial, tangible win builds trust with sales leaders, earning them the right to contribute to broader business strategy later, rather than coming in 'too hot' with complex ideas.

When transitioning into a new role, especially a cross-functional one like product, relying on a title is a weak foundation for credibility. Earning respect through informal authority—by demonstrating value and influence—builds a much stronger and more lasting leadership position.