First-time executives lack the baggage of "how things are usually done." This forces them to solve problems from scratch using first principles, which can lead to more innovative, context-specific solutions for the company, as Figma's CFO Praveer Melwani experienced.

Actively seek uncomfortable roles that are challenging and not 'shiny.' Cracking these tough problems unlocks massive growth and learning, even if you don't fully succeed. These experiences build resilience and a reputation for being a problem-solver, preparing you for any future challenge.

To become a more effective leader with a holistic business view, deliberately seek experience across various interconnected functions like operations, marketing, and sales. This strategy prevents the narrow perspective that often limits specialized leaders, even if it requires taking lateral or junior roles to learn.

Figma's founder, Dylan Field, admits he was a poor manager initially. His solution was to hire experienced leaders he could learn from directly, like his first director of engineering. This flips the traditional hiring dynamic; instead of hiring subordinates, insecure founders should hire mentors who can teach them essential skills and push the company forward.

Don't wait for a promotion or for the perfect role to be created. The most effective path to leadership is to proactively identify and take on critical, unowned tasks within your organization. This demonstrates value and allows you to carve out a new role for yourself based on proven impact.

When senior engineers unexpectedly leave, a vacuum of knowledge and leadership is created. For the mid-level engineers who remain, this crisis presents a rare opportunity to step up, take on tech lead responsibilities, and drive the team's vision, dramatically accelerating their career growth.

Don't wait for a promotion or new job opening to grow. Proactively identify other teams' pain points and offer your expertise to help solve them. This proactive helpfulness builds relationships, demonstrates your value across the organization, and organically opens doors to new skills and responsibilities.

The path from VP to C-suite is blocked for those who remain specialists. Aspiring leaders must take calculated risks, moving into unfamiliar functions (e.g., finance controller moving to strategy) to build the generalist perspective required at the top.

When Peter Cuneo took over Marvel without knowing the film industry, he also assumed the CFO role after the incumbent left. This forced him to deeply understand the numbers and core business drivers from the ground up, dramatically accelerating his learning curve in a high-stakes environment.