Philipp Navratil didn't land the top job at Nestlé by accident. He spent nearly 20 years climbing from auditor to CEO, running the company behind Nespresso, DiGiorno, and 30+ other billion-dollar brands.
Along the way, he spotted three traits that separate the passed-over:
1. Be Curious
Never stop learning. Teach, ask questions, seek mentors. Navratil — yes, the CEO — still has a junior "reverse-mentor" teaching him how to program AI agents.
His? Say "yes" to new opportunities. Growth happens when you're "a little outside your comfort zone." He learned that the hard way as a sales rep in Panama, when a manager pushed him out of a role he in.
2. Be Hungry
Skills, but drive matters more. Navratil would rather take someone ambitious to win than someone qualified but indifferent.
His litmus test is simple: *"Are they hungry? Do they want to win?"*
3. Be Humble
"I like humble people," Navratil says. "I don't like people that boast; that are full of themselves."
In his view, arrogance is "a recipe for not being successful." The people who keep rising know when to ask for help — and never assume they're the smartest person in the room.
"Humbleness, be hungry, and be curious. Just keep learning every day."
Three words. One career strategy.