What does it take to get to the top faster?  Common wisdom says that it’s an elite MBA, a high-powered job right out of school, and a linear climb up, avoiding risks.  But our data shows a completely different picture.

The Fastest Path to the CEO Job, According to a 10-Year Study by Elena Lytkina Botelho, Kim Rosenkoetter Powell and Nicole Wong was recently published on HBR.org.