Lost Leaders in the Pipeline 20 Sept...

LostLeadersinthePipeline !"#$

©ThePoliticsofAmbitionSurvey,2016 2

TableofContentsIntroduction...........................................................................................................................3

WhatThisReportWillShow.............................................................................................................5

LostLeadersinthePipeline:Why?........................................................................................6GapsinAdvancementandSalaryStartEarly.....................................................................................7UnintendedCorporateObstacles......................................................................................................8It’sNotAlwaysAboutFamilyBalance...............................................................................................9

CapitalizingonWomen’sAmbition........................................................................................10

The2016Women’sSuccessCoachingPoliticsofAmbitionSurvey.........................................13AboutThePoliticsofAmbitionSurvey............................................................................................13The2016PoliticsofAmbitionSurveyResults..................................................................................15ImpactofWorkplaceSituations......................................................................................................22ImpactofFamilySituations............................................................................................................24ImpactofOtherCircumstances.......................................................................................................24Ambitiouswomenmakesignificantsacrificesfortheircareers.......................................................27WhatHighAchievingWomenWantandNeedFromTheirWorkplaces...........................................30

ACorporateAuditforFutureSuccess....................................................................................34Women’sSuccessCoachingSampleCorporateAudit......................................................................36

CoachingWomenforFutureSuccess.....................................................................................37Women’sSuccessCoachingSampleIndividualAssessment.............................................................40forHighAchievingWomenLeaders................................................................................................40

Conclusion.............................................................................................................................41

Appendix:SurveyCharts.......................................................................................................42RespondentDemographics.............................................................................................................42LevelofAmbition...........................................................................................................................45WorkplaceBarrierstoAmbition.....................................................................................................47DiminishedAmbition......................................................................................................................49InitiativestoSupportAmbition.......................................................................................................50InternalBarrierstoAmbition..........................................................................................................50Influencers.....................................................................................................................................51AmbitionandAge...........................................................................................................................51AmbitionandEthnicity...................................................................................................................54

Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................59

Footnotes..............................................................................................................................60



IntroductionWe know women can lead.

Countless studies have shown that women are excellent leaders and aspire to thetop

of their firms from a younger age.i But we have not yet reached gender parity among

corporate leaders in the workplace. A recent Catalyst survey found that only 19% of

women serve on corporate boards in Fortune 500 companies in the United States, and

only 4% hold CEO positions.ii In addition, Catalyst, in their 2015 study, “The Bottom

Line: Connecting Corporate Performance and Gender Diversity”, examined the 353

companies that remained on the Fortune 500 list for four out of five years between

1996 and 2000, and found that the group of companies with the highest

representation of women on their

senior management teams had a 35

percent higher Return on Equity

(ROE) and a 34 percent higher Total

Return to Shareholders (TRS) than

companies with the lowest women’s

representation.iii

A comprehensive study by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a

nonprofit group, and Ernst & Young in 2016 focused on 22,000 publically traded

companies in 91 countries, and found that having women in the highest corporate

offices is correlated with increased profitability.iv The big data from this study also

showed an increase in the share of women in management positions overall is

associated with a 15 percent rise in profitability for these firms.

Many companies have accepted the business case for increased gender diversity in

leadership. Despite their efforts to improve the current status, we continue to see little

progress. They are learning that the promotion of women is not straightforward, and

they are challenged to create programs that will support female talent in their

organization.

Indeed, the advancement of women to leadership is proving to be complicated. Many

reasons have been posited for the dearth of women in the executive ranks: lack of

management experience, culture mismatch, the masculine cultural stereotype of

Firms that have committed to

advancing women are questioning

why their initiatives fail to achieve

desired results.



leadership, inadequate political skill and self-promotion, differential mentoring and

training opportunities, and discrimination in pay and responsibility.v A recent report by

the US Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration demonstrates

that career decisions made by women are indeed complex and multifaceted, layered

by many factors, including perceived discrimination, lack of workplace flexibility and

work-family push and pull factors.vi

One persistent reason advocated in the popular press focuses on women’s ambition to

succeed. Several studies have

shown a drop in ambition over

the course of their careers,

settling for middle manager

level jobs, or, alternatively,

opting out of the workplace

altogether to manage work-

family concerns.vii

This report takes a different stance.

We believe that women’s ambition remains strong. However, we also recognize that

women must fight headwinds of obstacles that reduce their ambition for high achieving

corporate careers over time.

To do so, organizations must firstlevel the playing field for high achieving women

entering the workforce by identifying these women early and offering them

individualized leadership career tracks along with ongoing managerial and coaching

support.

Secondly,organizations need to allow for greater flexibility in midcareerso that women

who elect to remain in the workforce have options such as working remotely, job

sharing, and/or part time assignments without being marginalized,as well as provide

support to those women who choose to opt out and return by designing programs to

facilitate their re-entry.

The challenge for organizations is to harnesswomen’sambitionsearlyintheircareers while ambition towards high level corporate positions reigns supreme.



WhatThisReportWillShow

This report will demonstrate how women’s ambitions are strong.

We will offer a portrait of women’s ambitions from our Women’s Success Coaching

2016 “The Politics of Ambition” survey of N = 615 high achieving women to suggest

that: 1) high achieving ambitious women do exist (i.e. not all women stereotypically

drop out midcareer for family issues), and 2) they require the support of their

organization to sustain their

ambition in the long run. We

maintain the advancement of

women should be the

preeminent issue for talent

management in the 21st century.

To do so, organizations must tap all sources of human capital – especially women, who

remain underrepresented at the middle and upper ranks – and structure their firms for

a new mindset of career pathing and development across the life span.

Addressing the needs of women is

urgent to offset the future leadership

shortage that is approaching in the

next decade.



LostLeadersinthePipeline:Why?We know that executives want to increase the profitability of their firms.

To do so, they need human capital that is smart, resilient, and competent. In short,

they must develop leaders. The coming leadership shortage, predicted around 2025,

will spark intense competition for talent and heightened concerns about retention.viii A

research report published by The Conference Board articulated the emerging

leadership challenge that executives face for succession planning and talent

development in the 21st century.ix The age cohort that follows the Baby Boomer

generation, known as Generation X/Y, is approximately 18% less in population than

previous generations. Simultaneously, many Millennials, defined as the generation born

between the years 1987-2000, are turning away from corporate achievement to

discover their own entrepreneurial and internet-driven paths.x With fewer workers

available, executives must be more aggressive now while advancing the pools of talent

ready for leadership development.

The immediacy of this talent acquisition issue has been obscured by sweeping changes

in the workforce at the beginning of the 21st century as the nature of work has

changed. The work landscape of the 21st century is characterized by career

interruptions, opt-outs, temporary work assignments and limited horizon projects which

has produced a new social arrangement of the construct of “career.” The new social

organization of work brought about by technology shifts in the 21st century has

produced a contingency-based psychological contract between worker and employer

that suggest a short term time horizon based on project assignments rather than long

term career growth.xi On the one hand, corporations have been able, over the past

decade alongside the Great Recession of 2008, to layoff project workers to reduce

bloat to maintain their financial bottom lines with impunity. On the other hand, a crisis

is lurking in talent acquisition and management, and the pool of expected workers has

scattered to the winds, as many formerly ambitious, highly trained, high achieving

workers have vanished.



GapsinAdvancementandSalaryStartEarly

Women enter the pipeline with strong educational attainment vis a vis men, but the

gap in advancement and compensation begins early.xii

A recent study by McKinsey and Co showed that more than 350,000 women entered

the workforce in entry level jobs equal to men in 60 companies studied. Women were

equally distributed across line and staff roles at similar levels to men.xiii In the pipelines

of these firms, women began a steady and notable shift into staff roles by the time they

reached middle management to the director level. Line jobs, which are better

preparation for leadership positions, are less flexible than staff jobs, carry great

pressure, and require onsite supervision and long working hours. Staff jobs may, in fact,

look more appealing to women searching for more flexibility. Managers also channel

working mothers to staff positions assuming that once women have children they have

little interest in positions with increased responsibility. These women are subsequently

relegated to the “mommy track” and derailed from potential leadership roles based on

these assumptions.

In many companies, a requirement for executive advancement is a tour-of-duty in line

positions. Global firms with an international footprint also hold the expectation that

those in the pipeline for executive development will have served in expatriate roles to

learn the business internationally. In addition, there often are requirements to manage

a profit center within the corporation to prove one’s worth before moving to the

executive level. Women who opt out of line roles early in their careers lose out on

executive development early on. Therefore the pipeline for executive advancement is

fueled by those who remain in those roles - largely men.xiv This shift from line to staff

also impacts the compensation of women, who often start at lower levels in the entry

level compensation band and then parse men’s salaries at 78% due to reduced shifts in

responsibility or opt-out career interruptions.

The pattern of women’s earnings over the life span merits consideration. When women

enter the workforce in their early and mid-twenties, they earn nearly as much as men.

But by ages 25 – 29, women earn 87 percent of the male wage. Further when women

hit their prime child raising years (ages 30 – 40), many women leave the workforce for a



short period of time with disastrous financial consequences. By the time they reach the

40 – 45 age group, women earn a mere 71 percent of the male wage. Lesser pay has

enormous career consequences. For women who have a spouse who is earning more

money, it is often a practical decision for the woman to downshift her career while the

man positions himself towards advancement. For women without a spouse, they earn

significantly less for retirement, causing upheavals in the social structure of society.xv

UnintendedCorporateObstacles

Second,women experience a number of unintended corporate obstacles towards

advancement goals.

A report by Bain and Co (2014) discovered that 43% of women aspire to top

management in the first two years of their positions, compared with 34% of men in

entry level positions.xvi This suggests that women enter the workforce with the same

levels of ambition as men, feeling highly qualified and ready for advancement.

However, after just two years, women’s aspiration levels drop more than 60% while

men’s stay the same. Among employees with two or more years of experience, 34% of

men are still aiming for the top, while only 16% of women are.xvii Why?

To understand these statistics, it is important to examine how women’s careers are

shaped vis a vis men’s. Women suffer from a lack of mentors, supportive managers

who recognize and reward their achievements, as well as female role models. While

numerous role models for success exist for men, there are few role models at the top

showcasing women who have been successful especially in male-dominated industries.

A recent study by the Center for Work Life Policy showed that women lack support

from senior colleagues; 89 percent reported they did not have a sponsor to move them

forward in their careers and 68 percent reported they lacked mentors.xviii For men this is

often a non-issue, not even on the radar. Many men’s careers are shaped through

informal mentoring experiences where over a drink or a round of golf, men share

otherwise inaccessible political information that closes others out of the loop. By the

numbers, high achieving women do not have the same mentorship opportunities

available.



And it’s not just women. According to the 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey, which

gathered information from 7,700 Millennials from 29 countries, there is a direct

relationship between employee loyalty for a company and the level of support. Those

Millennials who stated they intend to stay with their organization for more than five

years were twice as likely to have a mentor (68%), than not (32%).xix Sixty-three percent

of millennials said their leadership skills are not being fully developed.

Men often ask for feedback directly and receive it, sometimes harshly, but the

feedback they receive shapes their skills. Women are often the recipients of

“benevolent sexism” receiving consistent positive feedback but no challenging

assignments or promotions, which suggests they are being treated with “kid gloves”.

This empty feedback is not helpful for ambitious women who seek to improve their

performance and increase their skills.xx Women may also be reluctant to “lean in” and

ask for more developmental feedback from higher-ups.xxi The picture that results is that

women are often challenged trying to navigate their way to leadership in a vacuum,

with lip service paid to their “advancement”: while men remain as part of the truer

informal engine of advancement, receiving developmental advice and problem solving

assignments that propel them forward towards executive positions.

It’sNotAlwaysAboutFamilyBalance

Third,not all women want to leave the firm for family balance reasons.

While it is well documented that highly achieving women are leaving the workforce in

record numbers once they have a family, this phenomenon obscures the truth: that

women feel discriminated against in their firms.

What women want and need is a

workplace that supports their career

ambition at all stages. They want a

level playing field with fair workplace

practices, equal opportunity for

advancement, challenging work, and

recognition for their achievements.

Granted lesser pay than men, with

limited hope for advancement,

many women decide they might as

well leave the corporation and try

their luck elsewhere.



While childcare and eldercare are often cited as the top reasons for career

downshifting, many women say they do not want to leave the workforce entirely.

According to the Center for Work Life Policy report, a full 89% of women want to

resume their careers but only 40% successfully return to full time work. Almost 70%

report that they would not have left their firms if their companies had offered flexible

work options such as reduced hour schedules, job sharing part time career tracks or

short unpaid sabbaticals.xxii

There are also significant penalties for the women who take a career interruption. In the

Center for Work Life report, over a quarter of women reported a decrease in their

management responsibilities. Twenty-four percent found their overall job

responsibilities were curtailed upon returning to the workforce, and 22% were forced

to step down to a lower job title than the one which they had left behind. Alongside

the career penalties, there are financial penalties as well – women who return earn a

mere 71% of the male wage. This is dispiriting for many women. Their leadership

potential remains untapped while their careers are plateaued. Ambition becomes

truncated as a result.

CapitalizingonWomen’sAmbitionIt has been demonstrated repeatedly that gender diversity increases performance.xxiii

Companies that recruit, retain, and advance women have a competitive advantage in

the global marketplace. The question remains how best to support and manage the

pool of ambitious and talented women.

First, companies must acknowledge that women enter the workforce with enthusiasm,

optimism, and ambition.

Women are well prepared, well educated, and believe that they can achieve their

career aspirations, no matter how lofty. They have the grit and determination to

succeed. The fact that these high-achieving women are not supported over time by

their companies, leads to a waning of their corporate leadership aspirations. They are

the lost leaders in the pipeline. This is a loss, not only for ambitious women who want



to apply their knowledge and realize their full potential, but for organizations for whom

the leaky pipeline is affecting their current and future performance.

Second, in order for companies to move their gender diversity initiatives forward, they

must let go of assumptions about what ambitious women want and need and identify

how they can specifically support the women in their work environment.

Each company and each industry have specific cultural challenges for women that must

be uncovered and overcome. The demographics of women in each company is also

unique. Programs that are not based on the specific needs of this talent pool during all

career stages are destined to fail.

Third, companies can leverage innovative workplace practices and modern career

paths to sustain women’s ambition.

The landscape of the 21st century workplace is very different from the manufacturing

age that characterized 20th century linear career advancement. Few people remain with

their firms for more than five years. Jobs are now project based and team focused.

Relevant skills are now portable and recruited across multiple industries. With today’s

technological focus, more

work can be done flexibly

and remotely so that

performance becomes the

new standard of

achievement rather than

hours spent on the job in the

office.

If a woman needs to take a break or cut back, there should be support in place for her

to accomplish project based work that does not require face time in the office. When

she is ready to return full time, that woman can be fast tracked again as her leadership

potential has not changed. In fact, it may have been augmented by life’s experiences

outside the office. And the same flexibility should be accorded men as well.

Rather than placing an X on the careers of women who have left the workforce for a

temporary career interruption, these women should be reincorporated into leadership

Contemporary career paths should no longer be

linear. Instead, they should involve diagonal

moves across divisions, lateral moves to gain

skills and experience, and downward moves to

learn responsibility and new ways of working.



career paths once they are ready to return and consider advancement. Contemporary

career paths should resemble more of a “jungle gym”, to use Sheryl Sandberg’s

metaphor, rather than a linear ladder. Women (and men) need the freedom to opt out

of their careers to facilitate family issues, and then the option to on-ramp and return to

their careers – and the potential for advancement - when ready.

Fourth, companies must accept that a “work until you drop” attitude is not sustainable

for women or men.

The US Department of Labor reportxxiv emphasized that more women would remain in

the workforce if the workplace were redefined, including how, when, and where work is

conducted. Redefining work for flexibility upends the efficiency infrastructure of firms,

and calls into question major changes in human resource policies. Real and sustained

change in the ways of working are needed so that workers – both men and women –

do not run from the overwhelming 24/7 stresses of corporate life but instead embrace

it and set boundaries around corporate demands.

With the technology that is available, workers today are expected to be “on call” at all

times, whether it is an evening, weekend or vacation. High achieving employees who

want to be considered promotable work round the clock, on their phones and laptops,

to demonstrate qualifications for executive performance. The intense demands of

working round the clock, coupled with global travel assignments that often

accompanies candidates for the executive level, leads to burnout and stress particularly

for women, who often are expected to complete a “second shift” of household

duties.xxv

Workplaces that design jobs to be flexible yet still offer challenge, competitive pay,

and advancement, will be attractive to many employees, especially women.xxvi

A recent New York Times article addressed the growing number of companies that

recognize that by offering coaching support to new parents and their managers, they

retain more women.xxvii Companies like Ernst & Young, KPMG, and Grant Thornton,

MetLife, Deutsche Bank, and Etsy who are providing these coaching benefits, are the

firms that have demanding and competitive cultures where new parents often don’t

feel safe taking advantage of their full parental leave. Ernst & Young, which expanded

its policy to 16 weeks of paid leave for all new parents, said it typically costs the firm



1.5 times an employee’s salary to replace them. There are significant financial

incentives for this coaching support as well as providing the advantage of retaining top

female talent.

With a global workforce and technology that allows for remote ways of working on

project based assignments, there are many ways for workers to fulfill their

responsibilities off-site, but not to the degree that stress and burnout catapult career

ambition. Managers must be trained to regulate hours so that workers can manage

their lives outside the office while offering a stellar work ethic. Otherwise, ambition for

advancement will implode, not just for women, but for men as well – leading to a major

leadership shortage in 2025 and beyond.

The2016Women’sSuccessCoachingPoliticsofAmbitionSurveySustaining ambition is vital to keeping women on track as future leaders in the

corporate world. To understand more about women’s ambition, Women’s Success

Coaching conducted a survey of professional women to address their concerns. The

Politics of Ambition survey included n = 615 high achieving women who were asked a

number of questions about their ambition and work experiences over time. Challenge

factors as well as sabotage factors were reported.

AboutThePoliticsofAmbitionSurvey

The survey was conducted bySurvey Monkey.Participation in the 23 question survey

was voluntary and confidential, and included write-in commentary. Respondents were

able to contact Women’s Success Coaching for a copy of this report.

About three fourths of the respondents are Caucasian (74.0%), with Asian (8.0%) and

African American (6.5%), as well as Hispanic (5.7%) groups represent the last quarter of

respondents. The survey included women from ages 22 – over 50, with the majority

reporting in the 43 – 50 and 50 plus age groups, 22.3% and 29.8 percent of the

sample, respectively. Women in the youngest group (ages 22-27) represent only 7.3%

of the sample; women from 28-35 represent 20.5%, and women ages 36-42 represent

20.0 percent of respondents. The vast majority of women surveyed live in the United



States (85.6%), with about 5.64 percent responding they live elsewhere, and a small

group of 4.34% reporting “other”.

The majority of respondents are highly educated. Over 34% completed graduate

school, and 29.4% are involved in post graduate educational programs.

The high achieving women represent a number of industries, such as financial services

(18.6%), STEM professions (14.3%), law (14.3%), healthcare (11.0%), consulting 6.9%),

advertising/marketing (6.6%), retail (6.1%), and one quarter in other industries.

Almost all respondents have a college education, with two-thirds having advanced degrees.

n=612

3.1%

33.4%

34.1%

29.4%

What is your current level of education?

High School

College

Graduate school

Post graduate



About 74% are employed full time. Only 4.2% are part timers, 11.1% characterized

themselves as entrepreneurs, 2.6% reported retired or unemployed, about 1 percent

are students, and a negligible percent said they are homemakers (0.7%). This adds

validity to the sample that these women are highly educated, high achieving workers.

About 60% are married; 8% are living in a committed long term relationship, 12% are

divorced or widowed, and 18.5% were never married.

The2016PoliticsofAmbitionSurveyResults

Who are the ambitious women surveyed?

The majority of women reported they were extremely ambitious or very ambitious

(74.3%).

Respondents represent a wide range of industries.

n=609

18.6%

14.3%

14.3%

11.0%

6.9%

6.6%

6.1%

5.6%

4.9%

3.6%3.4%

3.1%1.6% Financial services

STEM

Law/Law Enforcement

Healthcare/Health-Related

Consulting

Advertising/Marketing/Comms/Media/PR

Retail/Consumer products

Other

Government/Policy/Non-Profit/DevelopmentManufacturing/Pharma/Telecom/Energy/TransportationEducation

Arts/Entertainment/Publishing/Journalism

Real estate/Construction/Architecture

What industry do you currently work in?



Most of the highly ambitious women were raised to believe that ambition is important

and were encouraged to be ambitious (73.2%).

What do ambitious women want in their careers?

Fulfilling work (41.8%) is most important for the majority of ambitious women surveyed

at all stages followed by compensation at 28.6%.



Advancement is more important in the early career stages. This is the optimal time for

ambitious women to have defined leadership career path and support from their

organization.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

22-27 28-35 36-42 43-50 50+

How would you rank your level of ambition to advance your career?

1 (not very ambitious)2

3

4

5 (extremely ambitious)

The youngest women have the highest level of ambition.



For most of these highly ambitious women, their level of ambition diminished over

time. 31% reported that they were most ambitious during the first 5 – 10 years at work.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

22-27 28-35 36-42 43-50 50+

What is most important to you at this point in your career?

Advancement

Compensation

Good benefits

Fulfilling work

Advancement becomes less important over time while compensation becomes more important – but fulfilling work is important at all stages,

especially early in a career.



When women with diminished ambition were compared to women with intact

ambition, it was noted that demographically they were similar, but workforce years of

service may contribute to a

waning of ambition.

A variety of workplace

challenges were reported by the

respondents. This echoes Anna

Felsxxviii work on ambition that

suggests that women need

recognition of skills and goals to

sustain ambition in the long run. Gender bias or stereotypes were then next most

frequent reason, and also lack of manager support and encouragement to succeed.

‘Little or no opportunity for advancement’

was the number one factor that caused

diminished ambition, alongside ‘lack of

acknowledgement or recognition’ for

performance.



The women who identified themselves as very/extremely ambitious were more likely to

point to the external factors in the workplace as significant barriers to achieving their

ambition over their own limiting behaviors or beliefs. They ranked “no internal barriers”

much higher: 29% of extremely ambitious women said they had “no internal barriers”

compared to 15% for very ambitious women and 9% for moderately ambitious women.

Lack of Acknowledgement and No Opportunity for Advancement are the most significant external challenges to ambition.

N=607

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Little or no opportunity for advancement

Lack of acknowledgement or recognition

Gender bias and stereotypes

Lack of manager support and encouragement

Other

Gender pay gap

I have no external challenges

No female role models

Lack of good maternity benefits

Racial bias

What are the greatest external challenges you face to realizing your ambition? Percent ranking each challenge as a top 2 reason



Despite the many unfavorable work situations women experience, ambitious women still put

the burden on themselves for figuring out how to thrive in these environments and credit their

own grit and determination for their success. In fact, this helps them stay engaged despite the

lack of support and recognition from their managers.

More extremely ambitious women see external barriers as the greatest, whereas for other women, external barriers are noted least often.

n=604

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

1 (not very ambitious)

2 3 4 5 (extremely ambitious)

Which challenges are the greatest?

External barriers in the workplace

My internal barriers

It's about equal between external and internal barriers

*Note: small base size

n=611


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%



What has contributed most to your staying on track and pursuing your ambition?

My own determination and gritSupportive family/spouse

Supportive manager

Good daycare

Corporate initiatives


Very or extremely ambitious women (4’s and 5’s), are more likely to credit their own determination, and a supportive manager is more

important to moderately ambitious women (3’s)



The work environment for women can be extremely challenging. About 60% of women

report a particular workplace situation that sabotaged their ambition whether it be

overt gender bias, cultures that favor men, unsupportive managers and colleagues, or

a lack of opportunity.

ImpactofWorkplaceSituationsWorkplace situations were cited most often as a cause of diminished ambition.These situations fell into the following categories (in order of how often they were

mentioned).

• Workplace bias: not being valued, being paid less than men, being sexually harassed, being excluded from a “boys club”, being blocked from advancement, as well as discrimination based on age, race, and culture.

“My interest in being ambitious at work stopped when I saw how the

management would take advantage of women by talking them into

taking on more responsibility with the promise of greater pay and

change of title, but then would later give the position (and pay) to a

male with little to no experience.”



• Corporate culture: an environment of favoritism, destructive office politics, lack of recognition, cutthroat environments and unethical behavior

“Internal politics and people stepping on top of other people's heads

have probably been the two most prevalent factors. While I am

ambitious, I draw the line when being ambitious means either stepping

on others or being a shameless self-promoter.”

• Difficult managers/colleagues: managers (and some colleagues) who blocked opportunities, felt threatened, and were unsupportive

“A male boss was openly threatened by my influence and power within

the organization and actively blocked me off from opportunities to

advance (he literally told me in a year-end review once that I needed to

be ‘more passive’ and ‘lean back’” …. “When I asked what opportunities

for a broader variety of work were (not even asking for a promotion), he

said ‘none.’ I ended up leaving the organization.”

• Lack of opportunities: lack of promotion opportunities

“After working and attending school full-time, I graduated and began to

apply for roles within the organization I had worked for longer than a

decade. Not only was I not granted one opportunity for advancement, I

felt as if I was being consciously blocked from opportunities to advance.

That was disheartening and began to wear on my self-esteem. It was

hard to move past.”

• Advancement undesirable: seeing heavier workloads, need for relocation, and other sacrifices required when looking at the more senior jobs

“Watching other women make it to higher levels due to their skills and

determination and then seeing them either fail or be totally miserable

due to lack of support and general backbiting from male peers at that

level. The reward of reaching that level clearly did not compensate for

the misery that came with it for them.”

• Unsupportive women: women not supporting other women

“Yes, office politics driven by other women.”



• Motherhood penalties: being discounted for having children, limited maternity benefits

“My two bosses held meetings with co-workers telling them to tell me

that I shouldn't have children because it will destroy my career. It was

the first time I had heard first hand of a very real dislike of women being

mothers but being a father was fine. I was devastated and scared.

What if they were right?”

ImpactofFamilySituations

Family situations were the second most often cited challenge. These situations fell

into the following categories (in order of how often they were mentioned).

• The demands of child-rearing: strain of juggling work and family demands, finding balance, lack of adequate childcare

“Becoming a single mother definitely had a huge impact. As I much as I

wanted to stay late for a project, attend a dinner meeting for a new

connection, or burn the midnight oil, I had to take care of my young son.

I had to make a choice DAILY whether to give more at work, or go home

and spend time with my son.”

• Challenges with spouse/relationship: unsupportive spouse, conflicts with demands of spouse’s career, divorce

“Husband was frustrated with taking care of children in early evening

until I got home and unhappy with my need to travel once in a while. It

was easier to give in to my husband.”

• Other family demands: need to tend to ailing family members/parents

ImpactofOtherCircumstancesOver sixteen percent of high achieving women cited circumstances outside their direct control as having a negative impact on their ambition.These situations fell

into the following categories (in order of how often they were mentioned)



• Economic factors: recession and lack of jobs, company re-organizations and downsizing

• Inadequate support: lack of mentors and role models, lack of family support

“It seems if you have a mentor, or someone that completely trusts and

believes in you and let’s others know how they feel about you, you have

a better chance of being successful.”

• Challenged upbringing: financial challenges, limited education, low expectations

Finally, respondents were asked how they hold themselves back from realizing their

ambition. Fourteen percent of high achieving women cited their own shortcomings or mistakes as sabotaging their ambition.

One third of women stated it’s both the external workplace challenges AND their internal barriers that hold them back from realizing their ambition.

Women who were moderately ambitious looked internally and took on the

responsibility for not realizing their ambition due to their own limitations and fears.



Hesitation to self-promote was the strongest internal barrier for many women (44%),

and frustration with the system at 34% ranked second. The decision to have children

was ranked third on the list.

The internal barriers reported fell into the following categories (in order of how often

they were mentioned).

• Self-limiting beliefs: self-doubts, slow resilience after setbacks, fears

“Myself...I can be my own worst enemy. It’s crazy but I still have to

coach myself and tell myself that I’m capable and worthy.”

“Fear of failure I believe was my biggest obstacle, females in the

workplace are easily judged and are have not been developed to take

risks and build confidence in what they do.”

• Personal choices: deprioritizing career, choosing the wrong profession, making a bad career move

“Staying in a job I hated that had no growth potential and a great deal

of office politics for 12 years.”

Hesitation to Self-Promote is the most significant internal challenge to ambition.

N=607

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Hesitation to self-promote

Frustration with the system

Decision to have children

Avoidance of office politics

Stress involved in getting ahead

Fear of failure

I have no internal barriers

Other

Fear of success

What internal barriers affect your ambition? Percent ranking each challenge as a top 2 reason



• Underdeveloped leadership skills: lack of self-promotion, lack of direction, need for executive presence. Respondents recognize that self-promotion, coaching and training are important. The most cited internal barrier is their hesitation to self-promote (44%). With appropriate managerial support and training programs, these women would indeed thrive.

“I've always had a hard time being a "self-advocate". I was brought up

to be humble and let my work quality and ethic speak for itself but that's

not always how it works in corporate.”

• Health issues: mental and physical issues

“Got sick -- reassessed if working all the time worth it.”

Ambitiouswomenmakesignificantsacrificesfortheircareers.

The most commonly cited sacrifice was being able to focus on and devote time toromantic and family relationships.These sacrifices fell into the following categories (in

order of how often they were mentioned).

• Time away from loved ones: missed time with family and friends



• Relationship with partner/spouse: damaged relationship, hurt partner’s career

“Time away from home and spouse led to a lack of connection and rift that

almost resulted in divorce. Too much focus on work and not enough on my

physical and emotional health led to mental and physical health issues.”

• Postponed or didn’t get married: prioritized work over romantic relationships

• Personal relationships:

Many women described specific sacrifices related to children.These sacrifices fell


• Spent less time with children: less time with children, missed events

“I've spent less time with my children than I wanted. I have paid most of

my salary in childcare to maintain my profession in the last 7 years.”

• Postponed or didn’t have children: had no children, fewer children, or children later

“Having no children so far and I'm now 38.”

• Quality of parenting: less involved parent, stressed parent

“I don't get to be the best mother or spouse that I could be if I wasn't

working full time in a demanding position. I miss sporting events and

opportunities to engage with my children and that feels like a big

sacrifice when I see other mothers having a different experience.”

Other sacrifices mentioned had to do with personal well-being. These sacrifices fell


• Physical and emotional well-being: good health, exercise, stress levels

“Sacrificed my health and wellness at times, as I still do. Always feel like

I have to work harder and be better than male counterparts to get equal

recognition and compensation while holding down the fort at home and



in my marriage. The ‘Do it all and make it look easy’ mentality.

Exhausting but willing to persevere because I LOVE what I do and am

very good at it.”

• Time for leisure and focusing on self: downtime, self-care, leisure activities, vacations

“I sacrifice time for myself to ensure I am active in my kid’s lives and

holding a demanding job. Moms are still expected to do more than dads

in our society.”

• Sleep:

“I sacrificed my twenties, I now sacrifice time with my kids and husband,

and most of all, I sacrifice my sleep, never getting more than 5 hours a

night.”

Eleven percent of respondents made financial sacrifices for their ambition.These

sacrifices fell into the following categories (in order of how often they were mentioned).

• Left a job: left a job to pursue education, entrepreneurship, or new career path

• Reduced income: took lower pay, fewer benefits, cut in responsibilities

• Invested in education: incurred debt and/or financial hardship for education

“I have sacrificed my social life in order to take on extra jobs

(freelancing, babysitting, night shifts), which allowed me to support

myself while going to grad school part-time and doing full-time, low-

paying entry level work in order to break into my industry.”

One quarter of respondents identified sacrifices based on the requirements of their jobs and the impacts they had.These sacrifices fell into the following categories

(in order of how often they were mentioned).



• Location: relocation, business travel, long commutes, working in undesirable place

“Moving to a new country with our daughter for a two-year work

assignment, leaving my husband behind because he was not allowed by

his company to telecommute and we decided we need to maintain both

our careers.”

• Social Life: less time with friends, little social life

“I've given up the bulk of my personal life. It simply seems impossible

to me to operate at a very high level at work and still have a full life

outside of work unless you have entire teams of people to take care of

all of life's mundane responsibilities.”

• Little free time: long hours, little time off, general lack of balance

“No life outside of work. Hardly any time off, if any.”

• Other: dealing with judgments of others, putting up with poor work environments or unsatisfying jobs

“I felt that I sacrificed automatic acceptance from my family. I have to

explain and demonstrate that my goals are right and good for myself.”

WhatHighAchievingWomenWantandNeedFromTheirWorkplaces

What do high achieving women want from their workplaces?

A number of initiatives were identified from the survey, such as: leadership training

(60%), executive coaching (58%), mentorship programs (49%), high potential programs

for women (49%), formal assessment of compensation and recruitment practices (47%)

and company commitment to gender balance in the executive suite (43%).



But we suggest much more is needed.

The downsizing of ambition has a cascading effect for all women in the workplace.xxix

The business case for diversity shows a direct linkage between corporate performance

and financial metrics.xxx The corporate world has changed from traditional 20th century

norms about how businesses should be run to a project based workplace with

technological and global implications.

In the survey by McKinsey and Co,

although CEOs made gender

diversity a priority in more than 80

percent of the 60 firms studied,

only about half of employees from

those companies agreed that the

CEO is committed to the issue. As

stated in the report, “Seeing is believing – and there are few women at the top.”xxxi

Many firms create diversity initiatives

initially with good intentions, only to

fall apart in execution.



CEOs must be openly committed to gender parity at the top levels. C-Suite executives

must serve as role models for others to follow. But in the middle of the organization,

more is needed. Infrastructure must be changed in the ways of promotion and

advancement so that there are multiple paths to the top. The metaphor of the “jungle

gym” to the top – with a series of moves that might involve upward, downward, lateral

and diagonal, as well as exploratory options and career interruptions – is necessary to

support women’s career development for the future.

The new ways of working in the 21st century require a fresh mindset among human

resource professionals to create programs that focus not on work family balance but

work-life integration. This is true

for women who are balancing

work with family life, but it is

also true for men who are

squeezed by technology and

travel, unable to spend time with their families on the 24/7 work clock.

The McKinsey and Co survey also demonstrated a broad acknowledgement of a

deeply ingrained ideal worker model that suggests the top characteristics from

promotion include maintaining a high profile in the organization, and an unwavering

commitment to long hours and constant work.xxxii To build visibility, ideal workers take

on high profile projects on top of day to day work activities. These workers arrive at

work early, leave late, and are “always on” via email or mobile. They are adept at self-

promotion and networking, and willing to travel at the drop of a hat.

While the cohort of high performing ideal workers will continue to exist, there is a

worker revolt is quietly taking place that is countermanding the high pressure demands

of globalization and technological imperatives. Corporations that do not respond to

the need for work-life integration will lose talent as workers walk out the door to craft

more reasonable, personally fulfilling careers. Workers are now changing their jobs

every 5 years, and many of those job changes are prompted by reducing stress and

achieving a better balance between work and family life.xxxiii Another survey by Catalyst,

Inc found that 76% of GenXers desire a compressed work week and 59% want to

telecommute or have flexible working arrangements. Similar results are found among

Work and career should fit into one’s

life rather than command it.



Millennials, who rank family and personal goals at a premium over work related

advancement.xxxiv

We learned from this survey that women display ambition differently at different times

in the career cycle, and though women’s ambition diminishes over time, in early career,

women’s ambition levels are greatest. This suggests that the career pathing of women

should involve directed career planning in early career, before women have children in

their thirties/early forties, to build leadership experience on the line. Women may also

need to take on a global assignment prior to an opt-out career interruption.

In midcareer, there is a precipitous drop in ambition due to demands from home and

family. Midcareer is an ideal time for project based assignments, shared hour jobs, or

staff roles that may be less demanding than profit and loss front line work. Once

women are through the knothole of family demands, there should be on ramps to

allow them to return to the workforce in similar positions as before, with development

initiatives available and ready for their future advancement.xxxv Much research shows

that women’s ambition increases in late career, when nurturing demands cease.xxxvi

Many women at this stage, disenchanted with a biased and unsupportive culture, have

already left the corporate environment for more entrepreneurial activities.

Organizations need to understand that work/life integration requires a reassessment of

career paths for women, which may be different from some men who still uphold the

model of the “ideal worker.” More is required than lip service to diversity initiatives.

CEOs must demand that human resource professionals capitalize the human capital in

their firms in a variety of contemporary, unique ways to find the best and brightest

leaders of the future. This will require a reshaping of the corporate culture so that

flexible work is celebrated and not seen as a career limiting move. Opt-out

interruptions should not be viewed as the death knell to an otherwise promising career.

And support for ambitious advancement should be provided for all stages of the career

cycle for women and also for men.



ACorporateAuditforFutureSuccessChanging the infrastructure of companies to support contemporary careers is a tall

order. Even those firms that have established programs to support gender diversity

have found there are many barriers to a more flexible workplace. In the US Department

of Labor report, several management issues were cited as barriers to flexible work

options, such as “senior leadership didn’t embrace flexible work offerings”, “no follow

through or integration of flexible options seen as an added human resources offering”,

“managers fear if they offer flexible benefits more broadly, they would lose

productivity”, and there was a “lack of understanding” of the differences between

“flexible, “alternative” and “reduced” hours. Even as flexible schedules were on a

firm’s benefits list, implementation was often left to manager discretion, and managers,

fearing productivity declines, showed minimal respect for these offerings. Finally, there

was a view that flexible work is a “woman’s issue” and therefore there is not enough

critical mass to warrant change.xxxvii

A common theme across

surveys and reports on this

issue suggest a lack of

supervisory support is a

significant obstacle to change.

In this survey, highly ambitious

women reported a lack of

manager support and identified that their peers and colleagues provided advice that

sustained their ambition. To help managers at the middle level appreciate the business

case for gender parity, CEOs must:

1. Communicateexpectationsforgenderparityacrosstheorganizationthatcelebratethebalancedworkerandcontemporarycareerpathsthatallowforopt-outs,

2. Equipandtrainmanagerstomeettheexpectationsofgenderparitysothattheyrealizethebusinesscaseramifications,

For gender parity to take hold, there

needs to be impactful career development

programs and flexible work initiatives that

incentivize midlevel manager support.



3. Measuresuccesswithhumancapitalmetricsalongthepipelinesothatitcanbeclearlyseenwhereshortfallsofleadershipexistandhowtomoveemployeestoretaintalent.

4. Hardwiretheinfrastructureforcontemporarycareerpathsbasedonmeritandperformance.

Executives must catalyze the talent, leadership potential and ambition that might

otherwise go unappreciated.xxxviii To showcase diversity leadership with cloutxxxix,

executives must declare gender diversity as a business imperative. Executives should

visibly reward and champion employees who serve as role models for others as

balanced workers who may have taken an opt-out career interruption, returned to the

workforce, and then, after further leadership development, advanced to the C-level

suite. Executives should continually assess their human capital in the pipeline to

determine challenges for talent retention and renewal.

Midlevel managers are an important linchpin in the new ways of working. Midlevel

managers must be incentivized to support flexible work arrangements, and granted

points for creating a balanced portfolio among staff at different points of the career

cycle. Managers should receive training to support contemporary career development,

such as:

1. Understandthedifferencesamongflexibleworkschedules,suchasreducedhours,jobsharingoptions,alternativeworkarrangementsutilizing“techforflex”,

2. Recognizethatthosewhooptoutforatemporarycareerinterruptionforfamilyreasonscanreturntotheirformerjobswithenhancedskills,readyforfutureleadershipdevelopment,

3. Creatementoringcirclessothatmanagerscanmentoravarietyofemployeesatdifferentstagesoftheircareers,

4. Introduceperformancedialoguesassociatedwithskilldevelopmenttoachievethenextlevel,

5. Rememberthepowerofencouragement.

A sample corporate audit is provided to assess the strength of firms along these standards.



Women’sSuccessCoachingSampleCorporateAudit

CorporateAssessmentQuestionGrade(1-5)1=Low5=High

ActionStepsforProgress

1. Havewecommunicatedexpectationsforgenderparityacrossalllevelsoftheorganization,settingtheexampleatthetopofthefirm?

1.2.3.4.

2. Domidlevelmanagersunderstandthebusinesscaseforsustainingambition?

1.2.3.4.

3. Havemidlevelmanagersbeenequippedwithtrainingtoutilizeflexibleworkinitiatives?

1.2.3.4.

4. Haveweassessedtheshortfallsforleadershipinthepipelineatallranksofthefirm?

1.2.3.4.

5. Aremanagersincentivizedtosupportaportfolioofstaffthatshowcasebalancedworkhoursandstrongperformancemetrics?

1.2.3.4.

6. Aremanagerswillingtosupportthesuccessionplanningandleadershipdevelopmentofthosewhoopt-outfortemporaryrebalancingandwork/lifeintegration?

1.2.3.4.

7. Havemanagersbeentrainedinperformancedialoguesonsensitiveskillissuesandencouragingdialogues?

1.2.3.4.

8. Doleadershipdevelopmentprogramsexisttosupportemployeesatalllevelsofleadershipdevelopment?

1.2.3.4.



CoachingWomenforFutureSuccessAmbition is sustained through mastery of skills and recognition of performancexl. The

high achieving women in this survey made the point clear that while it was their own

determination and grit that helped them to become ambitious, dialogues with

mentors, peers and colleagues helped to sustain their ambition in the long run.

Companies should invest time in conversations with individual workers, including

sensitive conversations that might otherwise be ignored, to ferret out obstacles to

ambition. Women should receive tailored support in their contemporary career

pathing arrangements so that it is made clear that if women need to step back or opt

out for a time period that they can return to the firm and continue to advance rather

than drop out at midcareer simply because there are no on-ramps for her to return and

exercise leadership.

Career coaching can be immensely helpful at this juncture as an outside career coach

can entangle obstacles and issues that human resource professionals cannot see

clearly. Working together with human resource professionals, a career coach consultant

can:

1. Identifyaspectsofthepipelinethatneedtobeexaminedmorecloselytoensurethedevelopmentofwomen,

2. Determinethereasonswhywomenareoptingoutoftheworkforce,

3. Assessthelevelofflexibleworkoptionsandsupportsforlongertermopt-outinterruptions,

4. Suggestre-entryvehiclesthatupgradeleadershipdevelopment,

5. Identifyshorttermprojectsthatcanbecompletedwhileonhiatustomakecontinuedperformancecontributionsinabsentia,

6. Designcontemporarycareerpathsthatinvolvediagonalmoves,lateralmoves,upwardanddownwardmoves,enrichmentmovesandexploratorymovessoeachwomancandevelopskills,acquireleadershippractice,andcreatemorefulfillingcareer.

We recommend that an organization partner with a career coach/consultant to create a

custom assessment survey of women in the pipeline in parallel with formal interviews



with identified high potential women and human resource professionals to determine

the status of gender parity in each firm. Custom programs can then be developed

based on the assessment findings segmented by age and stage of career, level of

aspirations, and career goals of individual women so that a complete picture can be

obtained for executives to assess their leadership pipeline shortfalls.

It is also suggested that women self-identify a career track with managerial support and

executive blessing. Women should have access to mentors throughout the upper ranks

to identify which skill sets need to be developed for future leadership development. A

coaching circle program for midlevel women reinforces key skills for advancement,

such as self-promotion, networking, political savvy, speaking up in meetings, and

communication issues that women state they need to compete. Managers and mentors

should be held accountable for each female employee staying on tract, and making

recommendations for further development prior to advancing to the next level.

It is imperative that younger women realize the importance of early line experience to

punch the ticket into the general management role later in their careers. Younger

ambitious women also need

to be given the opportunity

to work globally to

understand differences in

markets. These women

should be discouraged from

staff roles until midcareer, when they might appreciate a calmer staff role environment

without significant demands for travel or profit and loss responsibilities. Upon

returning to the workforce if there is a midcareer opt-out interruption, women can then

self-identify which track is preferred – greater advancement career track or a reduced

role. If greater advancement is preferred, such women should be counseled to move

into profit and loss operations as quickly as possible so that all perquisites for the

upper levels – global assignments, line production experience, and profit and loss

management experience – are fulfilled.

Women who are advancing should be provided with regular opportunities to network

with senior leadership. Quarterly meetings with human resource personnel might also

be helpful to provide encouragement and support. Mentoring circles and sponsors

Younger women should be identified as possible

high potential early in their careers, perhaps at

the 3-year mark, so that they can receive career

coaching over the life span.



who actively promote high achieving women and open doors to opportunities should

also be on the agenda.

The following is a sample

individual assessment

audit for high achieving

women:

Women’s Success Coaching is poised to

facilitate these programs upon request.



Women’sSuccessCoachingSampleIndividualAssessmentforHighAchievingWomenLeaders

IndividualAssessmentQuestion IndividualY/N

ManagerY/N

HumanResources

Y/N1. Isthiswomancurrentlybeingtrackedfor

advancement?

2. Hasthiswomanreceivedleadershipdevelopmentandtrainingtodate?

3. Haveskillgapsbeenidentifiedanddiscussed?

4. Arethereinternalbarriersspecifictothiswomanthatmightaffectherfuturecareerdevelopment?

5. Isthiswomanreceivingopportunitiesforlineandsalespositionsearlyinhercareer?

6. Isthiswomanreceivingsupportforflexibleoptionsfromhermanager?

7. Canthiswomanbetrackedforaglobalassignmentearlyinhercareer?

8. Doesthiswomanhavealongtermcareerplanincludingpossibleopt-outinterruptionsandon-rampingpossibilitiesinthefuture?

9. Isthereasponsorinplacewhocanhelpcodifyherreturntotheworkforceinmidcareer?

10. Doesthiswomanhaveregularopportunitiestonetworkwithseniorleadership?

11. Isthiswomanreceivingskilldevelopmentforleadershipatthegeneralmanagerordirectorlevel,includingprofitandlossresponsibilities?

12. Doesthiswomanhaveamentor,ormentors,aswellashumanresourcessupporttoidentifyobstaclesandprovidereassurancesalongtheway?



ConclusionDespite decades of affirmative action, issues of gender diversity remain intractable. Yet

there is hope on the horizon. We know that supporting talented high achieving

women to sustain their ambition promises significant benefits. The business case has

been made for increased gender diversity that leads to profitability in large scale and

small scale corporations. As corporate executives commit to changes in the

infrastructure that inspire more women to stay the course through midcareer when they

have competing family responsibilities, all parties will benefit. Ambitious women,

recognized as valued contributors, will be supported and encouraged to realize their

full potential, and companies will succeed in achieving greater gender diversity as well

as improved profitability.



Appendix:SurveyCharts

RespondentDemographics

The respondents represent a range of ages, with over 60% between ages 28-50.

n=614

7.3%

20.5%

20.0%22.3%

29.8%

What is your age?

22-27

28-35

36-42

43-50

50+

Almost all respondents have a college education, with two-thirds having advanced degrees.

n=612

3.1%

33.4%

34.1%

29.4%

What is your current level of education?

High School

College

Graduate school

Post graduate



About two-thirds of respondents are Caucasian.

n=611

74.0%

5.7%

8.0%

6.5%5.7%

Ethnicity

Caucasian/White

Hispanic/Latino

Asian

African American/Black

Other (please specify)

About two-thirds of respondents are in committed relationships or married.

n=611

18.5%

8.3%

58.1%

11.5%

0.7%2.9%

Marital status

Never married

Committed long term relationshipMarried

Divorced

Widowed

Other



The majority of respondents are currently working, with three quarters working full time.

n=612

73.5%

4.2%

11.1%

1.0%0.7%

1.0%2.6%

5.9%

What best describes your current employment status?

Full time employment

Part time employment

Entrepreneur

Student

Homemaker

Retired

Unemployed

Other (please specify)In transition, self-

employed, multiple jobs



LevelofAmbition

Respondents represent a wide range of industries.

n=609

18.6%

14.3%

14.3%

11.0%

6.9%

6.6%

6.1%

5.6%

4.9%

3.6%3.4%

3.1%1.6% Financial services

STEM

Law/Law Enforcement

Healthcare/Health-Related

Consulting

Advertising/Marketing/Comms/Media/PR

Retail/Consumer products

Other

Government/Policy/Non-Profit/DevelopmentManufacturing/Pharma/Telecom/Energy/TransportationEducation

Arts/Entertainment/Publishing/Journalism

Real estate/Construction/Architecture

What industry do you currently work in?



WorkplaceBarrierstoAmbition

Lack of Acknowledgement and No Opportunity for Advancement are the most significant external challenges to ambition.

N=607

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Little or no opportunity for advancement

Lack of acknowledgement or recognition

Gender bias and stereotypes

Lack of manager support and encouragement

Other

Gender pay gap

I have no external challenges

No female role models

Lack of good maternity benefits

Racial bias

What are the greatest external challenges you face to realizing your ambition? Percent ranking each challenge as a top 2 reason



More extremely ambitious women see external barriers as the greatest, whereas for other women, external barriers are noted least often.

n=604

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%



Which challenges are the greatest?

External barriers in the workplace

My internal barriers

It's about equal between external and internal barriers


n=611


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%





Supportive manager

Good daycare



Very or extremely ambitious women (4’s and 5’s), are more likely to credit their own determination, and a supportive manager is more

important to moderately ambitious women (3’s)



DiminishedAmbition



InitiativestoSupportAmbition

InternalBarrierstoAmbition

Hesitation to Self-Promote is the most significant internal challenge to ambition.

N=607

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Hesitation to self-promote

Frustration with the system

Decision to have children

Avoidance of office politics

Stress involved in getting ahead

Fear of failure

I have no internal barriers

Other

Fear of success

What internal barriers affect your ambition? Percent ranking each challenge as a top 2 reason



Influencers

AmbitionandAge

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

22-27 28-35 36-42 43-50 50+



3

4


The youngest women have the highest level of ambition.



0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

22-27 28-35 36-42 43-50 50+


Advancement

Compensation

Good benefits

Fulfilling work

Advancement becomes less important over time while compensation becomes more important – but fulfilling work is important at all stages,

especially early in a career.



0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

22-27 28-35 36-42 43-50 50+



Supportive manager

Good daycare


Older women have had to rely most on their own determination.



AmbitionandEthnicity

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

22-27 28-35 36-42 43-50 50+

Current employment status

Full time employmentPart time employmentEntrepreneur

Student

Homemaker

Retired

Unemployed

Other

The 50+ group has the most entrepreneurs.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Caucasian/White Hispanic/Latino Asian African American/Black



3

4


Hispanic women have the highest level of ambition, followed by African American women.



0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%


What most accurately describes your feelings about ambitious women?

I wholeheartedly support ambitious women.

I think ambitious women can be pushy.

I resent ambitious women.

I believe that working mothers should spend more time at home with their children.

Asian women are more inclined to think ambitious women can be pushy, but the majority support ambitious women.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%



Advancement

Compensation

Good benefits

Fulfilling work

Advancement is most important to Asian and African American women.



0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


Current employment status

Full time employmentPart time employmentEntrepreneur

Student

Homemaker

Retired

Unemployed

Other

African American women are most likely to be entrepreneurs, while Asian women are the least likely.



0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%


Ethnicity

22-27

28-35

36-42

43-50

50+

The age profile of each ethnic group in the sample is quite different, with Caucasians being the oldest and Hispanics being the youngest.



AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank the 615 women who participated in The Politics of

Promotion 2015 survey. Their information and shared experiences provide new insight

what high achieving women in the workplace today want and need to sustain their

ambition and the steps that companies can take to support and manage this ambition

to achieve gender equality and increased profitability.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank Amy Giddon for the data analysis and

thoughtful review as well as David Mangini for the assistance to prepare and format

this report.

Cover Design: Mark Plummer. Cover photo credit: iStock



Footnotes

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