The Broken Rung: The Hidden Barrier That No One Warned Us About

What it is and how women, early in their careers, can circumvent it.

Welcome to Own Your Ambition, the weekly newsletter designed to give professional women the tools they need to be successful. As a former CEO who made it to the C Suite from an entry level, I know first hand what it takes for women to realize their ambition and reach their career goals.

As a woman working in male-dominated settings, I was keenly aware of the ‘glass ceiling’ that prevented many ambitious women to reach leadership and the C-Suite. Often openly discussed as the stumbling block that most women struggled to overcome.

The glass ceiling still exists, but now new research has unveiled yet another obstacle that exists at the beginning of a woman’s career.

This week I describe the ‘broken rung’ and what you and your company can do to help you advance.

Are you ready for this?

New research reveals yet another point in a woman’s career where advancement gets blocked—and it starts way earlier than the glass ceiling. It’s called the broken rung.

Unlike the glass ceiling which prevents women from moving into executive roles, the broken rung occurs at the very beginning of one’s career.

Between the broken rung and the glass ceiling, research consistently shows that the broken rung is currently the more significant challenge for women in the workplace—especially when it comes to advancing into leadership roles.

For years, ambitious women blamed the glass ceiling as the invisible barrier keeping them from reaching leadership. It’s built from systemic bias, workplace politics, and unwritten norms.

The result of this barrier?
Talented women often get stuck in middle management—sometimes called the marzipan layer—unable to move forward despite doing all the right things.

But today’s research shows something new:

Women fall behind even earlier—at the very first promotion.

According to Leanin.org, “For every 100 men promoted and hired to manager, only 72 women are promoted and hired. This broken rung results in more women getting stuck at the entry level and fewer women becoming managers. Not surprisingly, men end up holding 62% of manager-level positions, while women hold just 38%.”

If women stumble on this broken rung, they risk falling behind far before they are even tapping the “glass ceiling”.

The promotion gap

This promotion gap caused by the broken rung creates a bottleneck in which fewer women at the managerial level means fewer women to promote to higher roles later on.

It undermines the entire leadership pipeline.

This is the stage where women fall behind early, and once they’re behind, it’s hard to catch up.

And the glass ceiling?

The glass ceiling still matters, but by the time women confront it, many have already been filtered out due to the broken rung.

If we can fix the broken rung, it would dramatically increase the number of women who have a shot at senior roles and leadership.

Fixing the broken rung will fix gender equality in the workplace.

In the research documented in their book, The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women--and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It., McKinsey senior partners Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and María del Mar Martínez found that the broken rung can cause women to fall behind as early as the first five years of their careers and keeps them from catching up.

Their research also reveals the problem’s underlying cause:

While about half of a person’s lifetime earnings come from education and half from experience, men get more value from their experience than women do. This is where the discrepancy lies – in “experience capital.”

When women stumble on the broken rung, it impacts their ability to maximize their earning potential. They stagnate at in the same role longer than their peers, therefore, not gaining experience capital or new skills.

The Cost: Missed Potential & Lost Income

Women stuck in the same role for years aren’t just bored, they’re falling behind:

• No new responsibilities

• No skill growth

• No promotions

• No earning potential

Is this happening to you—or someone you know?

Ask yourself:

“If I’ve been in the same role for years, what can I do to grow my experience capital?”

The solution: Women need to build their “experience capital” to level the playing field and maximize their earning potential and chances for promotion.

Here’s how to expand your experience capital:

1. Seek Out Stretch Assignments & Cross-Functional Projects

• Volunteer for cross-functional teams, high-visibility projects.

• Take on projects that challenge you to learn new skills and build new relationships.

• Express interest in management early—don’t assume your potential will be noticed without asking.

• Pro tip: Not all experience is equal. Be strategic about where you invest your time.

---

2. Build Leadership Skills Early

• Managing people is a key step in climbing the ladder.

• Take initiative by leading small teams or informal groups.

• Invest in training for communication, conflict resolution, and coaching.

• Look for leadership roles outside the workplace in community organizations or nonprofits to expand your skills and experience. It all matters.

---

3. Clarify Career Paths & Expectations

• Define your career goals and clearly communicate them to your manager.

• Ask: What competencies are required for the next step? How will my performance be evaluated?

• Don’t overlook lateral moves—they can build critical skills and broaden your perspective.

---

4. Ask for Feedback

• Request regular performance feedback with a focus on development.

• Ask for training or resources to support your growth.

• Don’t wait for an invitation—initiate conversations about your career advancement and readiness.

---

5. Build a Strategic Network

• Attend industry events, join employee resource groups (ERGs), and network regularly.

• Cultivate relationships with key stakeholders and peers across departments.

• Remember: Visibility and credibility are essential to advancement.

---

6. Find a Sponsor (Not Just a Mentor)

(Recommended reading: Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor by Sylvia Ann Hewlett)

• Identify leaders who value your contributions.

• Ask for opportunities to collaborate more closely.

• Look for high-visibility projects that can attract potential sponsors.

• Show consistent ambition and reliability in everything you do to be sponsor ready.

---

7. Track & Communicate Achievements

• Keep a “success file” with metrics, wins, and business outcomes.

• Share your accomplishments regularly with your manager, especially those tied to impact.

• Practice strategic self-promotion—highlight outcomes, not just effort.

• Don’t hesitate to ask for promotions and raises when appropriate.

---

What companies must do to fix the broken rung

Fix Biased Promotion Processes

• Audit who gets promoted and why.

• Use structured, transparent criteria for promotions

---

Hold Managers Accountable

• Track and tie equity in promotion outcomes to manager performance.

• Provide training to help managers recognize and support high-potential women early in their careers.

---

Develop Leadership Early

• Begin leadership training before formal management roles.

• Invest in sponsorship, not just mentorship, to accelerate women’s advancement.

---

Set Female Representation Goals

• Track gender balance at the first promotion step not just at the top.

• Make progress measurable and transparent.

---

Create Supportive Systems

• Offer flexible work policies and build inclusive team cultures.

• Interrupt bias at every level of the employee experience.

---

Listen to Women

• Regularly survey female employees about their experiences.

• Respond with targeted resources, support, and training that meet real-time needs.

---

Bottom Line:

Women need:

• Strategy

• Support

Companies need:

• Systems

• Accountability

Fixing the broken rung isn’t just a woman’s issue—it’s a leadership pipeline issue that affects organizational success and unlocks the full potential of your workforce.