It’s no secret that promotion rates in most industries have slowed during the extended recession. The good news, at least in the United States, is that with the current glimmers of economic growth the “ice floes” surrounding upward movement are beginning to break up. The bad news: competition for the C-suite positions that will open up over the next few years will be intense due the backlog in promotional activity. As a result, upwardly-aspiring executives need to take steps now to position themselves to be “first off the bench” as opportunities for promotion become available.