How Can I Climb the Corporate Ladder?

It's not easy to get ahead at the office, and what's worse is that so many people proceed from the wrong assumptions in how to get this done.

That's what Fenorris Pearson -- CEO of his own company, former top executive at Dell and Motorola and author of How to Play the Game at the Top: The 9 Rules for Consummate Corporate Effectiveness (www.corporateclimb.net) -- believes after having lived through a meteoric rise to the top of the corporate world.

"It really isn't about brown-nosing or working the office politics," he said. "The people who play that game are playing the wrong game, and while they may get ahead, they will never go the distance. The real key is to be true to yourself. Most employees try to play the popularity game and satisfy the majority of people in their company. It is more important to be true to yourself and find people to align yourself with who will support your goals and share your values as they advance their own careers."

Pearson began as a fresh-faced college graduate, and rose to the ranks of upper management by his late 20s, passing by some of the people who originally were positioned above him on the corporate ladder. His tips for getting ahead include:

• The All-Inclusive Resume -- "Employers are looking for information that will reveal what's really driving you and how committed you are to learning quickly and delivering results," Pearson said. "You have to create a resume that communicates that between the lines and your demeanor and professionalism must match what you have in your resume. If you have a degree in communication, for instance, you can't mumble and be inarticulate during your interview. If your background is public relations, don't drop off your resume in a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops. Make sure your resume focuses on relevant experience, and don't feel compelled to include that pizza delivery gig unless it demonstrates how you put yourself through college on the tips you made.

• Popular Vote vs. Electoral Vote -- "In 2002, Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote in the presidential election, but Texas Governor George W. Bush won the electoral vote," Pearson explained. "More people liked Gore, but he failed to deliver his message to voters in key states, so he lost the White House. The corporate world is very similar, because you can be the most popular person in the office, but still be prevented from getting ahead because you lack credibility with key decision makers. Work to have your merit and abilities noticed by the right people, not just the people most receptive to your gifts."

• Find a Sponsor -- "In every office, there is a mentor, a teacher who has the ability to not only show you the ropes, but also make certain that your gifts are made clear to those in charge," he added. "Find that person and show a willingness to learn and be open to new ideas. For instance, my mentor starting out was a gentleman named Walter Olsson. Walter was a family man and a businessman who was extremely wealthy. His actions concerning how he incorporated his spirituality into his life, took care of his family, and then focused on his job all helped plant some critical seeds in me at a very early age pertaining to balance in life. Those lessons made me a better executive and a better person, and those qualities became readily apparent to anyone paying attention, and it set the stage for my ascension into upper management."

Pearson believes that the secret to corporate advancement is to forget about yourself, but rather, to make your company's goals and objectives your own.

"The people who are out for themselves wear their motivations like a clown suit," he said. "While they may deliver results, their motives taint their work. Employees who understand the company, its mission and its customers will always be the ones to advance, because they deliver the total package. After all, if the company prospers because of their efforts, so will they. Top executives will always notice the people who find a way to bring money into the company."