72. How Managers Can Fix the Broken Rung

What Rules!?: A career podcast for women of color

Women face their biggest hurdle to becoming leaders at the very first step up the corporate ladder. Known as the “broken rung,” this obstacle prevents women from reaching even the most entry-level management roles. Worse yet, it disproportionately affects multicultural women.

In a special three-part series, we tackle how managers, employees and organizations can fix the broken rung by breaking the rules.

In this first episode, we talk directly to leaders on how they can uplift multicultural women early in their careers when they’re most likely to encounter the broken rung as well as seasoned professionals who have been overlooked as a consequence of the broken rung.

We offer practical actionable steps for managers to support their best talent before they burn out and quit. Whether you’re a leader or working on advancing your career, this episode is for you!

Listen to parts two and three of our Broken Rung series, where we cover how employees and organizations can fix the broken rung. Episodes linked below.

Episode Highlights:

• What is the broken rung?
• The consequences of the broken rung for multicultural women
• Taking a stand against microaggressions and unconscious bias
• Sponsoring multicultural women
• Building relationships to fix the broken rung

Research Mentioned:

2022 Women in the Workplace by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org

Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters (2020) by McKinsey & Company

Repairing the Broken Rung on the Career Ladder for Women in Technical Roles (2022) by McKinsey & Company

The P.I.E. Theory of Success: Performance, Image, Exposure by Arrowhead Consulting

Half of U.S. Workforce Suffers Panic Attacks and Depression Due to Money Worries, New Survey Finds (2019) by Salary Finance

2019 Women in the Workplace by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org

2023 Mental Health at Work: Managers and Money by The Workforce Institute at UKG

Listen to the rest of our Broken Rung series:

Ep 74: How Employees Can Fix the Broken Rung

Ep 76: How Organizations Can Fix the Broken Rung

Register Now!

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