Instead of a linear path, Fraser pursued lateral or even downward moves to systematically build the skills and relationships needed for future C-suite roles. This unorthodox approach proved more effective than simply aiming for the next promotion.

When an executive leaves, the CEO should step in to run their department directly. This provides invaluable operational context for hiring a replacement and empowers the CEO to make necessary but difficult changes (org structure, personnel) that a new hire would hesitate to implement.

A mentor advised IBM's CEO to 'live in the pleasure of being fired.' This mindset doesn't mean being reckless, but acting without fear of termination. It frees a leader to do what they believe is right for the business, knowing their skills are valuable elsewhere if things go wrong.

To get promoted, excel at your 'day job' for credibility, but actively seek out the messy, hard problems others don't want. Raising your hand for these challenges demonstrates leadership, builds confidence, and earns you more responsibility.

Hired as COO to improve processes, Peter Zaffino was immediately tasked with fixing AIG's insurance business, which had lost $33B. He initially resisted but accepted because it was the company's biggest fire. This shows that a leader's true role is to solve the most critical problem, regardless of their official mandate.

Jim Lanzone's motivation for becoming Yahoo's CEO was the extreme difficulty of the task. Having a history of corporate turnarounds, he was attracted to what he called 'the granddaddy of all turnarounds.' This mindset of actively seeking out the biggest challenges defines his leadership approach.

Bill Winters credits his success to taking calculated risks at key career junctures, like leaving a comfortable job for a struggling bank. He advises young professionals to choose the 'reckless route' when faced with a fork in the road, as recovering from failure is easiest early in one's career.

To rally a large organization, Citi's CEO Jane Fraser focuses on painting a picture of what the company will become. She believes people will take on incredible challenges for an exciting future, whereas simply highlighting problems to be fixed fails to inspire.

The definition of a top-tier hire isn't just about skills, but also the confidence to operate autonomously and make decisions as if they were the CEO of their domain. The goal is to build a team of empowered leaders you can unleash, not a team of employees you need to constantly manage.