Page 11 - Free Yourself From

x We Have Come a Long Way, But Is It Good Enough?

old-boy networks, and institutional or cultural biases that favor men.
While that does still hold true in some organizations, it’s important
for women to look at what they might be doing, or not doing, to
hold themselves back. I call these self-defeating or self-limiting
actions the sticky floors. We all have certain attitudes, behaviors, or
traits that stop us from doing something we could do, or worse, that
cause others to view us as “not executive material.”
Decades of research continue to prop up the glass ceiling theory.
And I don’t disagree that there are still cultural impediments in busi-
ness and in society. But as I’ve worked with women and organizations
for the last two decades to cultivate women leaders, I often see some-
thing else that is also part of this dilemma. I see women holding
themselves back far more than society ever could. And they usually
do it to themselves quite unknowingly. When I see women capable of
executive suite leadership mired in middle management, I don’t look
for the glass ceiling anymore. Instead, I look for a sticky floor.

The Business Case for Great Leadership—

A Timely Opportunity for Women Leaders

Catalyst, an independent research organization, conducted a study of
353 Fortune 500 companies and found that the companies with the
most women in top management positions provided a total return to
shareholders that was 35 percent better than in companies with more
male-centric executive teams. This supports the notion that a more
diverse spectrum of leadership perspectives, traits, and thinking
really does drive bottom-line performance. Inclusion and diversity
programs are not the “right” thing to do, so much as the “smart”
thing to do. The most progressive and savvy companies in the United
States and abroad appreciate that consciously cultivating a broader
mix of leaders will make them better at meeting consumer demands
and positioning themselves in the marketplace. And they will also be