No More Ceilings, It’s All About Bridges Now

When Maya was tapped for a major project, instead of celebrating, she thought, "They only picked me because no one else was available." That single thought the belief that her achievements were due to luck, not ability nearly stopped her from stepping into a role that would change her career. This type of imposter syndrome is something many women face, where we downplay our success and assume we don’t deserve the opportunities that come our way.

Yesterday, at the 2nd Global Women Power Summit and Expo 2024, I had the opportunity to address how women can overcome these barriers, both internal and external and rise confidently into leadership roles. We explored how we can break through these limiting beliefs, build bridges for others, and ensure the path to leadership is open for future generations. You can watch the live-streamed recording of the talk [here]. While we did experience a few tech glitches, it was a joy to engage with such an energetic audience!

How do the numbers look?

While there has been undeniable progress, women still hold only 29% of C-suite positions globally, up from 17% in 2015. However, certain roles like Chief HR Officer (CHRO) have a higher representation, with 72% of these roles held by women. In contrast, women make up just 6% of global CEOs, which highlights the stark gap in the most senior leadership positions. Globally, women occupy only 23.3% of board seats, and without significant change, gender parity in boardrooms might not be achieved until 2038 (McKinsey & Company, Deloitte).

The challenges aren’t just structural, they’re also shaped by unconscious bias, stereotypes, and workplace cultures that hold talented women back. These barriers make it harder for women to reach the top, despite their competence and contributions.

But there’s hope. In Africa, 39% of senior leadership roles are held by women, while Latin America leads with 32% of female CEOs. These regions demonstrate that progress is possible when societies commit to change and create inclusive cultures that support female leadership.

UAE’s Efforts to Close the Gender Gap

Closer to home, the UAE has made significant strides in closing the gender gap. The UAE Gender Balance Council was established in 2015, with the goal of reducing the gender gap across all sectors. By 2026, the council aims to enhance the UAE’s global ranking in gender equality and ensure that women have access to leadership roles across industries (UAE Government Portal, 2024).

The UAE also launched the Women on Boards initiative, which mandates that companies have at least one female board member. The country’s Gender Balance Strategy 2026 is focused on increasing women’s participation in the workforce and achieving 30% representation in corporate leadership roles (Bain & Company, UAE Government Portal)

Lifting as We Rise

As I shared during my talk, success isn't just about breaking the glass ceiling for ourselves. It’s about building bridges for others. Whether through mentorship, sponsorship, or simply leading by example, we have a responsibility to create paths for more women to step into leadership roles. Leadership is about empowering others, and it’s essential that we leave the ladder down for those who follow.

A Checklist for Navigating Self-Doubt and Habits holding us back

The glass ceiling isn’t just made of external barriers, it’s also built from internal ones. How often have we found ourselves thinking:

• "I’m not good enough to deserve this success." - This thought is often linked to Imposter Syndrome the feeling that you don’t deserve your achievements and that you’ll be ‘found out’ as a fraud. It leads to underestimating your worth and avoiding taking credit for your successes.
• "I have to be perfect to be worthy of leadership." - This falls under Perfectionism, where you feel like you can’t make mistakes or that any slip-up will prove you’re unfit for leadership. It creates an impossible standard that hinders growth.
• "Leadership is a masculine trait; I’m not cut out for it." - This belief stems from Stereotype Threat, where women internalize societal messages that portray leadership as a male-dominated trait, which can prevent them from aspiring to and thriving in leadership roles.
• "I don’t need to promote myself; my work should speak for itself." - This falls under the category of Reluctance to Self-Advocate, a common habit where women hesitate to speak up about their contributions, believing that recognition will come naturally without self-promotion.
• "I must make everyone happy, or they’ll reject me." - This reflects People-Pleasing Tendencies, where you prioritize keeping others happy at the expense of your own growth, which can lead to burnout and a lack of focus on strategic goals.
• "I can’t be successful at work and a good mother/partner/friend." - This belief is rooted in the Work-Life Balance Dilemma, where women feel like they have to choose between professional success and personal fulfillment. It’s a false choice that leads to unnecessary guilt.

These beliefs limit our growth. If we want to break barriers, we have to challenge these internal narratives. To help you navigate those tough moments at work, here’s an accountability checklist adapted from the book 'How Women Rise' by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith that can support you throughout your journey:

This conversation is just the beginning. Together, we can create a world where women lead without limits where breaking barriers and building bridges are part of our collective success. Let’s continue to lift each other up, push for policy changes, and challenge cultural norms that need a makeover.

Thank you to everyone who joined the live stream and participated in the discussion! I’m excited to continue this journey with all of you.

Watch the full talk here: https://youtu.be/8aZ25SWxyrw?si=jc5k4qAQZkIpdqwQ

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Sai nag Melinda Roy