re: How did most C-Suite Execs get to that position?

Not that high but I did ok.. but stayed technical route … I had chief and global in my title … to be completely honest.. a little luck and more than that … the guy above me got pulled up and he pulled me up also.. and so on and so on.. I found most people breaking into upward fast tracks have a sponsor above who also has a sponsor above.. try to find paths like that and work into them..
tbh.. my work ethic and skills were the same for the first half of my career while I moved at a regular rate as opposed the later when things moved quicker..

It is not what you know… but who you know…. Or how you fits into the pie charts.