{
  "id": 17215398,
  "title": "Opportunities for advancement: \"Excel instead of excellence\": Three factors determine who makes it to the top in German companies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/aufstiegschancen-excel-statt-exzellenz-drei-faktoren-entscheiden-wer",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-30T11:03:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/karriere/karriere-warum-die-klassische-fuehrungskraefte-entwicklung-nicht-mehr-ideal-ist/100147821.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "A growing number of covert searches by recruitment consultants to fill top positions indicate that supervisory boards and entrepreneurs are doubting their top executives and are looking for replacements. According to Nicolas von Rosty, Germany head of Heidrick & Struggles, many managers are hesitant to make radical decisions due to crises, trade conflicts, and artificial intelligence. The article highlights that poorly suited leadership can have catastrophic consequences, including decreased productivity and innovation, and increased employee turnover. In Germany, many top executives are promoted internally through a \"kaminkarriere\" or \"chimney career\", where they rise through the ranks within the same company, often lacking diversity and experience in alternative organisational forms or leadership concepts. Experts suggest that companies should consider external candidates and returnees for top positions to bring in more diversity, experience, and innovative power.",
  "summary": "Many companies always promote the same types of people and leave the workforce frustrated. Experts explain the key mechanisms - and what needs to change.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}