Climbing the Ladder in Heels: When Talent Meets Tenacity, Who Moves the Rung?

Can I share a goal that has shaped my journey for many years? I want to help others realize their full potential. My aim? To thrive as a people leader.

My fixation with leadership began in the humble corridors of my elementary school, where being a school patrol was synonymous with being a leader. Picture the bright orange flags billowing in the wind, guiding pedestrians across the streets. The shrill of the whistle cautioning students against running into the street, and the rhythmic chant of "Left, right, left, right - cross" that echoes in my mind even today. The orange sashes and the coveted silver patrol badge were the badges of honor.

As one of four captains, the camaraderie with my patrols and lieutenants, the learnings at patrol camp, and the negotiations of post schedules were my early lessons in leadership. However, these early endeavors also unveiled my flaws. When a disgruntled patrol pointed out my preference bias, it was a rude awakening. I was favoring friends for plum patrol locations while relegating others to outposts. This criticism was a gateway to self-awareness, teaching me the ripple effects of my decisions on others. It underscored that dealing with difficult people often mirrors our own shortcomings. This experience was the stepping stone to a path of self-discovery and skill-building that extended far beyond the schoolyard.

As I navigated through subsequent leadership roles - from Track & Field captain in high school, the Iowa State Food Science Club president, to the IFT Marketing Sales and Management Division Chair - every step was a learning experience that honed my skills further.

Leadership, I realized, wears many hats. A technical leader can excel as an individual contributor on a project, while a vulnerable leader embodies empathy during challenging times. A courageous leader isn’t afraid of dissent if it's for the greater good, while an anxious or withdrawn leader may stumble in guiding their team effectively. Leaders were not always appointed, they stepped up in the best and worst of times. The myriad forms of leadership strengthened my yearning to become a people leader. With time, experience became a great teacher, teaching me through mistakes and the diverse leadership styles of others.

Amidst my journey, there's a lingering frustration that often clouds the horizon - the elusive first managerial role. Even with years spent honing skills and understanding the gamut of responsibilities, the gateway to managerial roles seems guarded. How does one cross the threshold? I've taken on extra stretch assignments to broaden my scope, stepped up to support during times of organizational change, mentored up-and-coming talent, and diversified my experience by moving around roles and functions rather than anchoring myself to one spot. There's a world of knowledge I've accumulated, yet the managerial title remains just out of grasp.

I've contemplated stepping back into supervisory roles, shifting to start my day hours earlier, relocating to new cities, moving in to declining industries as well as joining start-ups in the early days, and ultimately chose to not pursue those paths. It's a perplexing crossroad, and I find myself often mulling over what piece of the puzzle I might be missing. I open this conundrum to you, my wise network: Is there somewhere I've overlooked? Or perhaps, as the stereotype often suggests, am I just an impatient and entitled millennial yearning for rapid advancement?

This personal exploration found a resonating echo in the recent Women in The Workplace 2023 report that introduced me to the 'Broken Rung Phenomenon.' The McKinsey and LeanIn report highlighted the significant obstacles women face at the first critical step toward senior leadership - the transition to management. It revealed a stark disparity: for every 100 men promoted to managerial positions, only 87 women shared the same advancement, with a further dip to 73 for women of color. The lack of women at the first rung creates challenges further up the managerial ladder.

Armed with these insights, I've reflected on the findings in the report and written actionable steps for those seeking leadership roles as well as recognized my personal hurdles on this leadership journey:?

?1. Assertiveness and Speaking Up: Engage, vocalize, and share ambitions beyond immediate circles. Assertiveness, a learned behavior, can be honed over time with practice and mentoring.

2. Build a Personal Board of Directors: Establish a network of mentors, sponsors, and trusted advisors who can provide guidance, advocate for you, and help navigate the corporate landscape.

3. Focus on Strengths: Identify and leverage your unique strengths. Explore personality assessments like Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Enneagram (a personal favorite), or 360-degree reviews. Being cognizant of your values and articulating them to others can significantly enhance your effectiveness.

4. Apply, Apply, Apply: Even if you meet less than 100% of the requirements, put your name in the hat. Gather more information before self-selecting out. Remember, it’s a mix of luck and hard work that propels you forward.

5. Iterate and Experiment: Relieve yourself from the shackles of perfection. What unfolds when you ship at 80% completion? A different approach might lead to unexpected, positive outcomes.

6. Professional Development: Embrace learning through various channels—be it tangible experiences, conversations, reading, journaling, or more. Seek out methods that resonate with your preferences.

[[Bonus: Invest in yourself! Allocate time for a good read or funds to attend a conference. These enriching experiences contribute to your life’s narrative and skill tool box. Like getting on a plane to attend IFT without knowing anyone at the conference, and heading home with lifelong connections.]]

7. Communicate Career Goals: Make it known where you envision your career heading. Articulating your interests, even if not crystal clear, facilitates support from supervisors and helps in fine-tuning your path.

My journey has had its share of internal adversaries:

1. Imposter Syndrome and Confidence: There were instances when the ghost of imposter syndrome haunted my confidence, fixating on negative comments despite a chain of accomplishments and an expanding skill set.

2. Lack of Support Network: Moving across the country and embracing remote work brought isolation. Building personal relationships and an in-person support network took longer than anticipated, but the mutual support acquired is now indispensable for emotional well-being and broadening my cross-industry understanding.

3. Taking Feedback Personally: “All is Opinion” resonates when giving or receiving feedback, if only I'd internalized this earlier. Although intentions behind feedback are generally constructive, the delivery may not always be desirable. It’s essential to recognize that feedback often mirrors the giver’s biases and past experiences.

4. Negative Self-Talk: Berating myself in the quest for betterment was counterproductive. Every challenge seemed like a monumental hill to climb, akin to Atlas’s ordeal.

5. Focusing on my Immediate Situation: Reflecting on my career, I noticed a pattern of male-dominated managerial hierarchy, despite graduating with a 77% female undergraduate class. I focused on my immediate situation rather than looking across functions, across the industry. LinkedIn has been a great help to tract the careers of others externally.

The systemic challenges outlined in the McKinsey and LeanIn report, especially the 'broken rung' phenomenon, offer a broader context to my personal hurdles. It illuminates the overarching landscape of women's ascent into leadership roles within the corporate arena, cementing my determination to contribute positively to this narrative for future generations. Whether a primary school memory or something more recent, how have your experiences shaped your professional aspirations?