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You've spent years as a middle manager, guiding your

team's day-to-day operations and reporting their
progress to your bosses and the executives. Now you're
ready to join their ranks, and start getting involved in
the bigger, long-term "strategy" work that's reserved for
those in the C-suite.
But how do you get there? There are a lot fewer
executive positions than mid-level management roles
available, so it's a lot more competitive – and therefore,
more difficult – to climb to this next rung of the
corporate ladder. However, with the right attitude, work
ethic and connections, you can prove your value and
earn that coveted executive title and responsibility.
If you want to up your leadership to the executive level,
follow these 17 tips from the Forbes Coaches Council.

Members of Forbes Coaches Council share the top ways to go from middle manager to
executive. ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF FORBES COUNCILS MEMBERS.

1. Understand And Embody 'Executive

Presence'
"Executive presence" is a multifaceted lens in which
managers can view themselves and then be intentional
about improving. It includes first impressions,
interpersonal communication skills, body language,
effective listening, effectively maneuvering through
office politics and exuding authentic charisma. Technical
skills might have landed the job, but executive presence
moves a manager up. - Barbara OMalley, Exec Advance
LLC

2. Establish Strategic Alliances

To lead at an executive level, it is important to first
establish strategic alliances. Moving to an executive level
will require gaining insight, awareness, and perspective
about the organization's current and future challenges.
One top recommendation is to find a mentor(s) who can
help you gain personal and professional insight about
being an executive in that organization. - Alan
Trivedi, Trivedi Coaching & Consulting Group
3. Develop Your Strategic Thinking Skills
Lower levels of leadership focus on day-to-day execution
of the strategy. To move into the executive level requires
a mindset shift to exploring the future, becoming aware
of the interconnectedness of systems and creating
strategy that can be executed upon. This mindset
development comes through diverse mentors,
relationships with peers across and outside your
organization and executive coaching. - Jenn
Lofgren, Incito Executive & Leadership Development
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4. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Network at all levels of the organization by adding value
and respecting all. Step outside your sphere of expertise
and understand all factors that go into running the
business. Get knowledgeable about cross pollination
within the organization. Start expanding your tribe
outside your core area. Build your reputation to make it
a no-brainer for the decision makers. - Gia Ganesh, Gia
Ganesh Coaching
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community
for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
5. Work With A Leadership Development
Coach
As professional athletes know well, a trusted coach can
cut your learning curve dramatically. A coach who will
guide you to clearly see your strengths, blind spots and
competencies will also show you how to identify the
people and roles that will enable you to thrive. Some
coaches are focused on skill development, others are
sounding boards. Find a coach who can do both and
make the investment. - Shawn Kent Hayashi, The
Professional Development Group LLC
6. Build Self-Awareness For Growth
Building greater self-awareness about one's leadership
"presence" and effectiveness is a key piece to preparing
for an executive level position. Participating in a 360-
degree feedback process can uncover the leader's
strengths to build upon, and identify others' perceptions
of their leadership efficacy (and any disparities) to allow
for growth and development. - Jen Roberts, Difference
Consulting
7. Build Your Business Acumen
Begin to think more strategically and from a systems
perspective. Learn how different components of your
organization work together. Network with people from
different parts of your organization in order to learn the
different business functions or program areas. Develop
more skill in seeing the interconnections between things
as you lean into developing a broader view of the
organization. - Monica Thakrar, MTI
8. Find Out What It Takes To Get There
If you have a clear goal for your career, let it be known.
Ask your immediate supervisor to craft a skill plan for
you on exactly what you need to do to get to the level you
want. Then start executing. It will take a combination of
building relationships, professional training, results
you've achieved, and lots and lots of emotional
intelligence. You're in it for the long game. - Sandi
Leyva, Sandra L. Leyva Inc.
9. Develop Executive Courage
It's usually the tough decisions that move the needle.
Therefore, executive courage around action,
communication and trust is a critical leadership skill.
Like any muscle, the more you flex it, the stronger it
becomes. You cultivate executive courage by trying new
strategies (even if some fail), engaging in crucial
conversations and confronting challenging situations
that trigger discomfort. - Jody Michael, Jody Michael
Associates
10. Seek Mentorship Outside Your
Organization
Leaders and managers tend to stop learning, stop
listening and start teaching, imploring others to do what
they say. That's a bad habit for those looking to get to
the executive level. Find a mentor or mentors outside of
your organization who you will listen to and don't have a
vested interest in your immediate movement to the
executive level. Allow them to challenge you. - John
O'Connor, Career Pro Inc.
11. Manage The Perception Of Your Value
Given that great leadership is about influence, and not
authority, you have to learn how to maximize your
influence. Your ability to influence others is impacted by
how you are perceived. Therefore, you have to figure out
how to increase the perception of your value. The single
best way to do that is to solve important problems for
influential executives. - Donald Hatter, Donald Hatter
Inc.
12. Build Your Coaching Skills
Coaching skills, such as listening, framing questions and
detached involvement, are important for leaders to
develop. These are keys to increasing one's emotional
intelligence and being able to more effectively connect
with others. Being able to coach your team to greater
success is an added benefit as well. - Larry
Boyer, Success Rockets LLC
13. Distinguish True Leadership From
Management
Moving into the executive level of any organization
requires understanding the uniqueness of the landscape.
A manager must first distinguish leadership from
management to understand what will be required at the
next level of engagement. Once those distinctions are
made clear, creating a focused professional development
plan to help them put their best foot forward should be
the next order of business. - Karima Mariama-
Arthur, WordSmithRapport
14. Manage Up
Managing up is a common challenge for emerging
leaders. It’s important to manage your own boss, as well
as extended relationships with your boss' boss, board
members, C-level executives, etc. These relationships
directly correlate with the level of influence you have.
Knowing what to communicate, when and with whom,
will increase the visibility of your impact as a leader.
- Teri Citterman, Talonn
15. Become More Visible To Decision Makers
Ensure that you are well-networked in your company
and industry. Schedule a meetings with key players in
the organization who can give you advice about your
next career steps and to whom you can demonstrate
your interest in moving up. Alternatively, attend an
executive leadership development program in your
industry or community or obtain a certification that
would advance your qualifications. - Meghan
Godorov, Meghan Godorov Consulting, LLC
16. Think About What The Company Needs
An executive is accountable at a whole new level. If a
manager wants to move up, he or she needs to think
about what the company needs. Identify actions and
strategic initiatives that would impact the company's
objectives and gain the attention of the executives. Have
the team you manage be outstanding. Be known as
someone who helps other people succeed. Be someone
whose word is impeccable. - Janet Zaretsky, The Zenith
Business
17. Re-Brand Your Inner Circle
We're the average of the closest five people to us.
Successful CEOs surround themselves strategically with
leaders who meet their needs and fill in the gaps. You
must do the same thing as the CEO of your life.
Surround yourself with executive level or bound leaders
you can learn from, grow with and add value too.
- Tameka Williamson, Celestial & Associates Consulting