Glass Ceiling? Find a Window!

Q. I’m 35 and have 10 years’ success in my field. I’ve been with this company for three years as a first-level supervisor, and now have an opportunity to be promoted to the next level. It’s a good company, and I want to move into top management, but I’m worried about any “glass ceiling” that could limit my potential. How can I spot it and, more important, break through it? —Cecilia M.

A. You’re taking things in the right order. Look for signs that a “glass ceiling” (invisible or subtle promotion policies that block women or minorities from advancement) might be in place in your company: few or no women in higher management or in team leadership; inequity in salaries between men and women in similar jobs; a thriving “old boy’s network” culture; general insensitivity to diversity issues; the feeling that women and minorities have of being ignored or put down when they suggest new ideas or solutions to problems. If this is the case, you may have an uphill battle, with a major defeat waiting to trap you after a lot of hard work and commitment. If you sense this, pick a smarter and better company to help you build your career. Any company that discourages initiative and talent from half its workforce (women or minorities), can’t survive in today’s competitive market. My advice is not to waste any more time in that company.

But if you sense your company is open to change, write a career plan for yourself. Check it out with your Human Resources department, and ask your boss for support. If you get honest, enthusiastic encouragement, then get top-level advice in the company on what you need to make it to the top levels of management in your company. The prospect for women in management continues to brighten: In 1999, women in the U.S. held 5 per cent of executive management positions in the U.S. Today more than 45 percent of U.S. managers are women.

The author of a revealing study of more than 100 senior women executives learned what it takes for women to sit on top of the corporate ladder. Carol Gallagher, Ph.D., discovered:

• While most say getting good results is the key to getting promoted, excellent communication skills, political savvy and an ability to take risks are equally important.

• Many of these women also told Gallagher that you don’t have to "play the man's game" to win in business. Instead, it's important to be true to yourself, your values and your principles and to find a management style that works for you.

Stay in the Loop

Leslie Altick, an executive vice president at Wells Fargo Bank, said she found out the hard way how important it is to stay in the loop. She’d been working hard on an important project, only to learn that her ideas conflicted with the goals of some senior managers. "I never let myself be shut out of meetings again," she says.

Got a Strong Backbone?

It also helps for women and minorities to have a backbone of steel and know something about winning at office politics. Beth Sawi, executive vice president at Charles Schwab & Co. explains, "You can't pick your company and say, 'I'm only going to play with the nice guys.' You have to be able to say, 'I'm going to play hardball.' "

Taking risks is also an essential part of moving up, just as experiencing profit and loss are routine. "Risk-averse people generally don't get to the executive ranks," says Gallagher. “Learning to fail gracefully is a skill every aspiring senior manager should acquire, along with knowing how to bounce back from a fall.”

Network/Connect

Other proven steps: Focus on building meaningful strategic alliances inside and especially outside your company. Serving on volunteer boards is excellent training ground for a corporate directorship and a great way to connect with potentially valuable business peers who can be your window into what other companies are doing.

Karen White, a senior vice president at Oracle Corp. in Redwood City, Calif., described a network-related incident at a previous job. She says she relied on top in-house allies to help her restructure her job and alter the chain of command when a male executive was making her life as a senior manager difficult. "The direct approach of trying to deal one-on-one with the man who was giving me problems didn't work," White said. "Letting others deal with it was far more effective."

In reality, managers who inspire and communicate well with staff are the ones who get promoted. "It's important to instill in others the desire to help you succeed," says Gallagher. "In order to achieve that, you need to help others be successful."