In an instant, your perspective shifts dramatically—zooming out far beyond your area of expertise to a more global and strategic outlook. Suddenly, more eyes are on you, looking for answers to questions you’ve never been asked before—on issues and opportunities you’ve yet to experience.

Do you have a trusted community of advisors who have navigated the C-suite and know what success looks like?

World 50 C-suite leaders hail from all corners of the globe—37 countries, to be exact—and represent every major industry, function, and role. Despite their differences in remit, members agree that leveraging their World 50 peers, and successfully navigating the following themes, helped them excel in their new C-suite role:

“You have been promoted, so you need to promote yourself in your own head,” said Andy Pharaoh, vice president of corporate affairs and sustainability at Mars.

What got you here should give you the confidence that you belong here—but there’s still a lot to learn.

Over the next five weeks, you will receive a series of insights—delivered to your inbox—that explore the five common themes linked to success during a leader’s first year in the C-suite, as detailed by more than 30 current and former C-suite executive members and advisors: listening to stakeholders, clarifying priorities, strengthening teams, elevating your thinking for enterprise-level decisions, and engaging with boards of directors.

Week Two: Clarify Your Priorities

Opt for specifics when outlining your agenda, said many experienced C-suite leaders. Remember: Your effectiveness is proven by your ability to create solutions, not by how complex they are—nor by how brilliant they make you seem. “Signal that you aren’t just interested in … shiny objects,” advised Jon Francis, chief data and analytics officer at General Motors. “As you establish your priorities, make sure they are clearly aligned to business outcomes.”

Week Three: Strengthen Your Team

Leaders who can drive momentum for the company’s greatest objectives are more important to have on your team than “the smartest technical experts,” said Laurel Spencer, senior vice president of global sales and marketing at Amcor. Identify these leaders by assessing their comfort with speaking up, not simply taking orders—a skill that becomes rarer to find when you’re in the C-suite. “I walk in a room, and [people] shake their heads [saying,] ‘Yes, yes, yes’—or everything gets filtered,” she said. “I need people to tell me the things that other people won’t tell me. … I want people that don’t think like me, and I want people that argue with me. I actually like … constructive debate.”

Week Four: Elevate Your Thinking

The days of being solely focused on your function are over, said Dustin Smith, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Wabash. Now, said Smith, “It’s about being a universal leader of the company.” You’re expected to weigh in on enterprise-level decisions that may or may not relate to your field of expertise.

According to Walter Solomon, former vice president and chief growth officer at Ashland, you get into the C-suite by being a foundational “brick” of your function or business unit—a reliable leader who hits the numbers and develops great people—but those who last in the C-suite are “brick-and-mortar” leaders who help multiple functions work cohesively.

Week Five: Engage Your Board

Boards are not a panel to appease; they’re a resource to help you and other senior leaders address your company’s toughest issues and, most importantly, move the company forward. Get to know who you’ll be working with, said Bob Eckert, lead independent director at Amgen and former chairman and CEO of Mattel. “Understand who the directors are, where they’re coming from, and what [their] background is on the particular topic that you’re facing,” he said. ​​Boards can’t help fix what they don’t know is broken, and leaders who call attention to current issues or anticipate future issues—while presenting solutions for them—are cherished in the boardroom.