For more than a decade, Alex Lirtsman (MBA ’07), founding partner and chief strategist of New York City–based digital marketing agency Ready Set Rocket, has led innovation and digital strategy for such diverse global brands as the ACLU, Ann Taylor, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Michael Kors, the NBA, and Univision. This Baruchian often finds himself fielding questions from professionals at all levels, including:

HOW DO MID-LEVEL, MID-CAREER PROFESSIONALS UNLOCK THE C-SUITE?

 

[dropcap sid=”dropcap-1432739528″]U[/dropcap]nderstand your weaknesses. Knowing what you are not good at is as important as knowing what you are good at.

 

 

 

[dropcap sid=”dropcap-1432739528″]K[/dropcap]now the metrics behind every decision. Constantly refine and optimize decisions against key performance indicators (e.g., the cost to acquire a customer, the lifetime value of a customer).

 

 

 

[dropcap sid=”dropcap-1432739528″]L[/dropcap]isten. As you rise higher in an organization, you work with and delegate to experts, and you become an advisor versus an executor—so it’s crucial to shift from talking to listening.

 

 

 

[dropcap sid=”dropcap-1432739528″]R[/dropcap]ealize the difference between a manager and a leader. In school, we’re trained to be managers. To make it to the C-suite, we need to transition to being a leader.

 

 

 

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Navigating Your Career & Business: A Q&A with Alex Lirtsman (MBA ’07), Founding Partner and Chief Strategist of Ready Set Rocket