The headlines scream that another major corporation is going down the tubes and taking its executives and workforce with it. Corporate misconduct. greedy executives. Is this what's happening to business in America? Don't believe it for a minute! Business and its hierarchy are alive and well and flourishing in America and around the world. Does the barrel have bad apples? You bet! But 99 percent of the crop is focused on their responsibilities while serving their constituencies and making money for their shareholders.

There are an estimated 3,500,000 top or senior executives in American business, industry, government and nonprofits today with openings for a half million more. They work for the Fortune 500 and the next 1000, for the thousands of other major businesses, the hundreds of thousands of mid-sized businesses, and the millions of small companies that grace every landscape from sea to shining sea, as well as in the far corners of the world. The US Small Business Administration statistics lists more than 23 million small businesses, each with fewer than 500 employees, conducting business across the country.

Executive-level men and women who determine and formulate policies are as diverse as the companies they run and that includes everyone from the African-American male who is president of the Fortune 500 company, American Express, to the white female who is president of Tootsie Roll Industries, one of the nation's largest candy companies. Both companies are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Companies come in all shapes and sizes. Senior executives used to be predominantly white and male, but this is changing. Women and minorities are challenging and breaking through the so-called "glass ceiling" of corporate America. The men and women who make up the elite of business, government and the nonprofits are at or near the top of their careers because they made good decisions along the way.

Goal-setting decisions can start in high school and be fine-tuned as you continue your education and work experience. No one will hand you the presidency of a company unless you have earned it. Even if a member of the family owns the company, you still must have smarts, a good education, leadership qualities, ambition, organization, communication skills, and so much more to even be considered for a top spot. No one is going to let you take the reins of a corporation unless you are qualified to do so.

You become qualified by working your way up to the executive level. In other words, you earn your place at the table. It can be a long road with many setbacks and frustrations. Your goal to reach the top will depend upon your ambition and a well-thought-out plan of action. Patience, hard work and determination have served most executives well.