It’s everyone’s responsibility to help break the glass ceiling

Breaking glass ceilings. It’s a term used to describe our current political landscape and the pursuit of top leadership roles by women. For me, it’s a term encapsulating my decades-long career as an executive in the hospitality capital of the world, and most notably, my tenure as the first female mayor of the great city of Las Vegas.

With women occupying only 25% of senior leadership roles in companies, my experience of ascending the ranks is not unique. A 2018 Pew Research Study showed 52% of women believed they were held to a higher standard than men. A 2022 study by Yale and MIT professors revealed women are 14% less likely to be promoted despite receiving higher performance ratings than men. Women are often the minority, and in the quest for gender equality in the workforce, we are driving change ourselves.

One of the many compounding barriers women face are the complex double-bind expectations created by outdated corporate cultures. We are expected to demonstrate both masculine and feminine traits to be considered top performers, softening our delivery, being passive yet assertive, and taking initiative without dominating the boardroom. There’s no room for error or emotional reactions, yet we are quickly labeled insensitive if passionately focused on business results. For many, the only solution is to walk in lockstep with unreasonable doubt.

When I ran for mayor, almost everyone said “don’t be ridiculous, you will never win.” When I was 22 points behind, people continued to discourage me.When I won by a sizable margin, they celebrated with me, and then told me to change my appearance to be successful. Everyone who doubted me also doubted that I could be successful while being myself.

Vice President Kamala Harris is being forced to navigate this complex system of expectations on the biggest stage in the world as she seeks to become the first woman in U.S. history to be elected president.

Harris’ journey to a presidential bid is a testament to the resilience, dedication and strength women must harness to rise to the top. Her path is fraught with the same challenges female executives face in the corporate world, including intense scrutiny and criticism that often focus more on personality than performance (cue the political pundits focusing more on Harris’ laugh than her policies). Just as Harris navigates these hurdles in her historic bid for the presidency, countless women in business strive to break through the glass ceiling while dealing with biased boundaries and double standards. This parallel between political and corporate arenas highlights the need for supportive initiatives that empower women to overcome these obstacles and thrive in leadership roles.

While being mayor is a much smaller stage than running for president, I empathize with the relentless scrutiny of every action and expression faced by Harris and so many other women in leadership roles — a level of trivial criticism rarely directed at men. There’s also focus on nonperformance-related criteria to judge a woman’s potential, as research shows women are much more likely to get feedback on their personality versus their performance.

To further combat the biased boundaries women face in high-powered roles, which I know all too well, I’ve partnered with Blackfire Innovation to create the WomenUp Leadership Development Program.

Created by powerful female thought leaders to serve as a tangible resource for women’s leadership development, this six-month program aims to provide rising female executives with comprehensive tools, skill development, real-time feedback and direct mentorship to further excel in senior-level leadership roles across all industries. It’s a professional development program aimed to combat the underestimation women face in their hard-earned roles.

Because women are 20% more likely to receive less actionable feedback than men at work, the program begins with a 360-degree feedback approach — a full comprehensive analysis to discover unlocked potential. And because women are 24% less likely than men to receive advice from senior leaders, we assign each participant an executive coach to help them navigate the feedback to create a customized growth and development plan. This, combined with exposure to senior leader speakers, mentors, facilitators and peers, creates a remarkably unique learning experience I would have appreciated and benefited from throughout my career.

The WomenUp Leadership Development Program is targeting current female leaders from diverse industries and backgrounds. We encourage companies to sponsor their rising female executives who are dedicated to driving change, promoting inclusivity and shaping the future of leadership.More information on the program can be found at womenupleadership.com.

While the WomenUp program creates a unique and valuable opportunity for women, men in our society must also take a leadership role in breaking down the biases, assumptions and barriers that make boardrooms unnecessarily difficult for women leaders to navigate successfully. Whether it is promoting long-overdue laws like the Equal Pay Act, reviewing internal corporate policies with an eye toward bias, or offering credit and support for the valuable ideas proposed by female coworkers, every one of us can help break the glass ceiling and create more fair and equitable workplaces for women everywhere.

Jan Jones Blackhurst is the cofounder of The WomenUp Leadership Development Program and the first female mayor of Las Vegas.