TOP OF THEIR GAME SUCCESSFUL EXECUTIVES TACKLED CORPORATE LADDER WITH MENTORS' HELP, SELF- MOTIVATION.

Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

Climbing the corporate ladder is a relative experience in a world of varied ambitions and economies of scale. For those who make it to the top, the path is rarely a straight shot and often requires a strategy that zigzags on the way up.

But working your way up the corporate ladder doesn't have to be a mystery. There are common themes in every executive's climb to the top.

``What's different today is that we are coming off a wave of white collar crime,'' said Steven Berglas, a research associate at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of ``Reclaiming the Fire: How Successful People Overcome Burnout.'' ``And to get up the corporate ladder, the most critical thing is finding a good mentor.''

That mentor doesn't have to be someone at the workplace. In fact, Berglas recommends that executives seek advice from outside the office.

``The further from the workplace, the better the mentor's perspective,'' Berglas said. ``Someone like a rabbi or an industry expert that is retired is the ideal mentor.''

The ideal mentor would also be able to enhance an executive's emotional intelligence, a key ingredient to rise above the rest. In general, women seem to dominate when it comes to emotional intelligence. ``And in many ways, women are affecting the entire workplace with their dynamics. They are forcing men to learn better negotiating skills,'' Berglas said.

Susan Eckert, president of Advance Career and Professional Development in New York, said women and minorities can benefit from having someone to go to who understands the dynamics of an organization.

Self-motivation is yet another characteristic of those who successfully negotiate the corporate ladder. Most people think salary is the key driver to getting ahead. But Eckert said a self-motivated executive often prefers challenge more than an increase in salary.

``And if you are a leader you are going to put yourself in front of people. You are going to want to take on the difficult challenges,'' Eckert said.

Dana Law, president of Dana Law Consulting in Bessemer, Ala., agrees with Eckert but adds that some people who have leadership skills lack the ability to understand a company's culture.

``That means executives (who are on they way up) need to find a mentor or align themselves with someone in power to learn the ropes and who understands the company's culture,'' she said.

The following profiles shed light on how four executives succeeded in cutthroat industries.

Evan Pondel, [phone]

evan.pondel(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Executive perks: Jack Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of Stater Bros. Markets, wears a white shirt to work every day.

Al Cuizon/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Executive perks: Phil Radin, executive vice president of marketing at Panavision, uses the empty housing unit of a lens to organize the pencils on his desk.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Executive perks: Michelle Taylor, who listens to Green Day every morning on her drive to work, is the director of finance for the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(4 -- color) Executive perks: Diane Shapiro, a director of human resources at Boeing Co., wakes up every morning at 4 a.m. to exercise.

Jeff Gritchen/Staff Photographer