Er, why do some people end up in the "C-Suite"? (And earn mega bucks)

[doublechocchipper]

Sorry for the name change, a couple of friends know my normal login and I'm going to talk about other people I know IRL here which I don't really want to mix up.

We've just said goodbye to two friends of my DH who came for a late lunch at ours - DH knows the husband from uni days basically.

Anyway, I've only met the couple a few times, and I was struck as the day went on about much more successful the man (outwardly) is compared to my DH. They certainly didn't flaunt it - they're perfectly lovely people - it just struck me in a rather sudden way that they're clearly on a financial rung far beyond what we can reach. It hadn't really occured to me until this afternoon, but it's very obvious now that I think about it (the car they drive, their huuuge house, private education for their 2 DCs). And yet DH and this man (both the breadwinners of each family) did the same degree.

Of course I love DH to bits, and I recognise that it will be influenced by the choices we've made (we have 2 more DC than these friends, we live near my parents to help with childcare, which has limited DH's ability to move). I also know that DH isn't as ambitious as others may be. And I wouldn't even want more money - we're perfectly happy.

But it does seem fascinating to me that two people can start off from uni days in such similar positions and end up where one is a middle manager on £35k/yr and the other lives just 40ish miles down the road and is in the stratosphere when it comes to management responsibility/earning potential.

DH and I have had a long disucussion about this tonight, because he's my best friend and he knows I'm talking about this from a "isn't this interesting" rather than a "I'm unhappy and jealous" perspective. He started talking about C-Suites and senior management, but apart from the obvious things (not being able to move more than day 50 miles from the south east due to my parents, taking 2 more paternity leaves) we can't really pin down exactly what magical ingredient it is that launches one career into the "C-Suite" (i'd never heard that phrase befoer) and which ones don't.

It must be something to do with personality or ambition then. ANyway, I thought it would be interesting to question this on MN - IABU to ask what (from an unbiased perspective) makes someone so clearly marked out for senior management vs. someone who isn't? Or is it just the things DH and I pointed out?

Being prepared to make more sacrifices in life than I would ever be prepared to make.
Drive, Focus and calculated risk taking
Bullet proof childcare, non-career spouse, or no kids
Picking a winner in terms of company and industry sector
Getting the right kind of experience consistently throughout career in and outside work to groom you for top level
Upbringing and confidence

Are some of the factors.

The C-Suite is a new one on me. It's all about the "Alpha Pod"

Wanky, work speak phrases both of them.

All I can offer is a comparison between three people I know well enough to comment on their careers and personalities. All have earnt six figure salaries (inc bonuses) since their late twenties (maybe not consistently) and are now in their forties (early, late and mid respectively) - DH, BIL and DH's friend.

The similariries - none have a degree, confident, excellent communicators with all people (when they want to be!), ability to make decisions and then not worry about them, great at time management, genuine interest in the field they work in, able and prepared to challenge the status quo, all have global jobs, worked there way up from the bottom.

BIL earns the most - in the 'c-suite' (!) - no idea how much he earns but I would say an absolute min of £250K. Completely lost regional accent (went to comprehensive school and siblings have regional accent), very ambitious and driven, prepared to do vast amount of travelling and work long days - often doesn't see children at all during the week.

DH earns the least (about £130K in a good year) - very interested in his field of work and as a consequence keeps up with latest innovations and can link them together - very much an ideas man, has a regional accent (went to comprehensive school like BIL) but seems to practically vanish in a business setting. Not really ambitious but does get bored when he doesn't have new challenges. Not prepared to take risks with his security, won't say he can do things when he isn't 100% sure, not prepared to do vast amounts of travelling.

DH's friend earns approx £175K - Extremely confident, prepared to 'blag' his way through things, prepared to take risks that I know DH wouldn't (i.e move jobs in a uncertain market for a higher salary but walk away from significant amounts of incentive shares), commanding voice but has more of a regional accent than BILs or DH's (I note this as he is the one who went to boarding school), prepared to travel more than DH and do more networking.

Even in my field (which does not pay such sums!) - those who have 'got on' seem to have genuine interest, take their professional development seriously, prepared to step out of their comfort zones, learn from mistakes and not worry too much.

I've never heard of the c suite before, am enjoying reading this one!

Next time I feel the urge to call someone a cunt I might just tell them they're in the C-Suite :o

I would say ruthless ambition for the most part. That is what pushes those that way inclined to the top. They are hungry and with the ethic that you 'live to work' not 'work to live'. It is a mind set and nothing is too much trouble. Most people can't be motivated to put their whole life into their job. Most people place a higher value on spending time with family and friends. It is gold against the soul to a large extent.

Everyone I know or worked with in c-suite or near c-suite positions had a fat safety net during their development and low wage period eg a house paid for or living in the family's second home. You need the ability to focus on the work game and be able to jump ship without losing all your safety and security and self-esteem.
The best example I have is two of these types, wealthy families both, both had supported first city home they combined and got one city home and one in Dubai. Family home was in london, so internships were easy. Family already had extensive international connections.

Weirdly the actual job is similar in scale to mine - running a 100 person department and single brand area in a large organisation - she gets £260K, I get £30K.

I earn a fraction of what most of my peers from university do . Money mattered to them far more than it did to me. So I looked for a "vocation" and they became bankers and lawyers.