How to Improve Women’s Advancement Programs

Most corporate women’s advancement programs center on teaching women a predefined slate of skills purported to give them more control over their careers. But by taking this approach, companies may be unintentionally communicating a culture of conformity by asking women to change who they are to succeed. This leaves many women, especially senior women, feeling stuck, because strong leaders need to have the ability to set expectations, not just fulfill them. The authors surveyed 310 corporate workers in the U.S. about their understanding of power. They found that empowering and advancing women requires more than a confidence curriculum, updated lists, or empty KPIs because these strategies don’t address the deeper issues of belonging, hidden barriers, or broken culture.