After 25 years spent observing well-regarded chief executives and good managers further down the ladder, the authors conclude that those who are true to characteristics they already possess make the best bosses.

ECONOMIST: The genuine article

To get a foot on the ladder there was too good to miss, and leaving Alty, and Crewe, was the price I had to pay.

BBC: Colin Little to leave Altrincham for Manchester United

Fixing that by making sure every American has a chance to climb the ladder to opportunity is a good place to start.

CNN: Nothing stops a bullet like a job

The drop in prices would generally be good news for those trying to get on the property ladder.

BBC: House prices fell 0.7% in October, says Nationwide

Get the consumer when he first starts taking pictures and you have a good chance of keeping him as he moves up the income ladder.

FORBES: How an outsider's vision saved Kodak

"Compared to the good-looking cuddly animals, snakes are far down the ladder in terms of how people feel about them, " said Mr Caillabet.

BBC: Python skin trade worth a billion - and often illegal

Most want good jobs so they can support themselves and start climbing the economic ladder.

FORBES: Move up http://i.forbesimg.com t Move down

Gliding up the corporate ladder, I thought I boded well with workplace challenges and arrogantly assumed I was too good to be stressed.

FORBES: Against All Stereotypes: Stress, Depression, Recovery, and Then?