A top corporate recruiter reveals what it takes to reach the top of a major corporation. Few people have as deep an understanding of corporate leadership as Umesh Ramakrishnan. As vice chairman of CTPartners, one of the worlds premier search firms, he has placed dozens of C-level executives at companies around the globe. Now he shares powerful lessons from his long career and also from exclusive interviews with top CEOs. Ramakrishnan identifies the qualities that distinguish those who are likely to make it from those who arent. And he explains, for instance: Why the surest route to the top is not always straight up the greasy pole How its possible to have a star team without everyone being a star Why your listening skills need as much attention as your communication skills How to meet the challengesand grasp the opportunitiesof globalization Theres No Elevator to the Topis like an exclusive lunch date with a tableful of CEOs, as Ramakrishnan features the insights of dozens of top leaders at companies like Dell, Cadbury Schweppes, Aetna, BT Group, Pepsi, Infosys, and Ecopetrol.