Shattering the Invisible Barrier: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence to Break the Glass Ceiling

Women with the education, experience, and drive to succeed in their careers frequently see less qualified males advance ahead of them or be given preference for leadership positions. Although women earned better evaluations for performance, they were rated 8.3% lower for potential.

All aspects of society benefit from the presence of women. Although there is considerable rhetoric about equality and empowerment, there are still impediments that prevent women from advancing in their careers. In 2022, women earned just 83% as much as men did, and less than 9% of Fortune 500 corporations were led by women (Builtin, 2022).

Why does this happen? The metaphorical "glass ceiling" is the unseen barrier that prevents certain people from reaching the highest levels of an organization. It manifests?itself as a sort of discrimination that is hard to see but devastating in practice: being prevented from taking advantage of chances in front of you despite your credentials, appropriateness, and unflagging effort. It's important to note that this "setback" is not due to incompetence or a lack of effort.

But, hopefully, there is something each of us can cultivate that would help break the glass ceiling: emotional intelligence. By strengthening their emotional intelligence, women can shatter the glass ceiling by transforming stereotypes, enhancing listening skills, building strategic relationships, and adopting a positive, mindful approach that focuses on strengths, thereby catalyzing personal and organizational growth.

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Exploring the Dimensions of the Glass Ceiling

The term "glass ceiling" was first used in 1978 by Marilyn Loden, a management expert, author, and diversity advocate, to denote the invisible barrier that prevents women from advancing in their careers. It's a bias that keeps women from taking advantage of advancement chances, even if they deserve them.? Looking at the phenomenon in more depth, Babic and Hansez (2021) described four pillars for the glass ceiling:

1. ?Gender-Centric Discrimination: First and foremost, the glass ceiling centres on discrimination against women in leadership roles. This bias persists irrespective of women's educational qualifications, experience levels, and competencies. It casts a shadow over women's career advancements, explicitly targeting their progression to managerial positions.
2. ?Diachronic Perspective: Understanding the glass ceiling demands a diachronic viewpoint rather than a single snapshot in time. It takes a broader view of women in the workplace, focusing on how many women have advanced through the ranks and into leadership roles over time as opposed to just the number of women who hold these positions at any particular time.
3. ?Invisible Inequalities: Since modern equal opportunity regulations forbid overt discrimination against vulnerable groups, this discrimination occurs covertly and is challenging to detect. Implicit norms, stereotypes, and practices are where it's at since they emerge in people's day-to-day activities, policies, and beliefs while evading scrutiny.
4. ?Hierarchical Barrier: The glass ceiling thrives in obstructing upward mobility within organizational hierarchies. Its definition predominantly concentrates on the upper echelons of leadership, assuming that this form of inequality is more prevalent at senior management levels than middle or lower tiers. But, as one approaches the top of an organization's structure, these unseen barriers to promotion become more evident.

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Embracing Stereotypes to Your Advantage

Truly embracing one's unique strengths is a core aspect of emotional intelligence. Did you know that certain attributes often seen in a negative light can actually be powerful strengths when channelled in the right way?

Take, for instance, the perception some might have of ambitious women being labelled as 'overly assertive' or even 'intense'. While societal views can sometimes be limiting, we must positively redefine and own these characteristics.

Also, think about the idea of persistence. Some might see it as "stubborn", but it can be a formidable tool when used effectively.

Lesson to be learned? One component of emotional intelligence is the capacity to accept and reframe one's characteristics in a positive light. Doing so allows us to break through limitations and realize our full potential.

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Cultivate Listening Skills

You might believe you're already a good listener, but there's always room for improvement in your listening abilities. Active listening is frequently overlooked in the flurry of busy work settings.

Position yourself to be fully present - this means putting away devices, maintaining eye contact, and ensuring your body language. In practical terms, this translates to setting aside digital distractions, tuning into the nuances of the speaker’s voice, maintaining consistent eye contact, and aligning your body language to show genuine interest and engagement.

Even more, delve deeper to capture not just the words but also the emotions, intentions, and underlying sentiments the other person conveys. And then respond with empathy and validate their emotions without necessarily agreeing with their point of view.

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Build Meaningful Relationships

One of the most important elements of shattering the glass ceiling and propelling yourself forward in any endeavour is the understanding that success isn't solely a solo journey. In fact, part of mastering the art of progress lies in recognizing when and how to lean on others.

Seek out mentors who have walked the path before you. Their insights, coming from personal experiences, can guide you through potential pitfalls and opportunities you might not see on your own.

Also, spread out your network! The more you interact with individuals from different walks of life, occupations, and life stages, the more likely you will get new insights and develop fresh perspectives.

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Adopt a Positive Mindset

Often touted as a key to success, a positive attitude goes beyond mere optimism. It is deeply rooted in emotional intelligence, the ability to perceive, evaluate, and manage emotions in ourselves and others. Understanding the nuances of a positive attitude through the lens of EI offers a deeper insight into our potential.

Recognize your own emotional triggers and responses, especially during challenging times. This self-reflection forms the foundation of a positive attitude. Then, channelling emotions constructively can turn potential setbacks into opportunities.

Using intrinsic motivation as fuel keeps the flame of a positive attitude burning, even in the face of adversity. Remind yourself of your core values and goals. Seek inspiration from successful leaders and stories that resonate with your journey.

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Focus on Your Strengths

The first step in leveraging emotional intelligence is the mindful recognition of one’s own strengths and weaknesses. Women, who often find themselves straddling various roles and expectations, forget to take time, thank themselves for their accomplishments, and then acknowledge their strengths!

Organizational blind spots, such as barriers to equal advancement, can often persist without active feedback from its members. Addressing these concerns tactfully, without condescence, is critical for any organization's holistic growth and dynamism.

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Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness provides a road map for making sense of obstacles like the glass ceiling in the business world. Taking this route raises one's level of self-awareness and, by extension, one's ability to effect organization-wide transformation.

Mindfulness begins with noticing the subtle stimuli within ourselves, such as our breath or heartbeat, and also those that emanate from our environments, like interactions and scenarios. Being fully present and conscious of the moment allows us to respond adeptly to situations. Engaging with an alert mind empowers us to understand circumstances in their entirety and navigate them effectively.

Quite importantly, mindfulness emphasizes a non-evaluative stance towards our emotions and thoughts. By refraining from judgment, we free ourselves from societal pressures and can address challenges, such as the glass ceiling, without internal biases clouding our perception.

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Bottom Line

Every woman has her own set of strengths and points of view, but the norms of society typically confine them. Rather than trying to hide them, these traits should be identified and strengthened. Emotional intelligence is so much more than a soft skill—instead, it is a strategic weapon that can help us break the glass ceiling.

Keen on enhancing your emotional intelligence skills?

Embark on a transformative journey and experience the profound impact of Emotional Intelligence coaching. Our coaching services are designed to guide individuals on a journey of self-discovery, enhancing their emotional intelligence and equipping them with the tools to navigate life’s complexities with grace and resilience.

You can also fast-track your leadership growth by enrolling in our online course on Emotional Intelligence. Dive into the essential skills of self-awareness, empathy and effective communication that form the bedrock of emotional intelligence.

Explore additional perspectives on emotional intelligence within the pages of my book: “Leading with Emotional Intelligence“.

Elevate your leadership journey through emotional intelligence!

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