Susan MacKenty Brady Addresses Barriers to Women’s Advancement on WBZ News Mornings

This morning, Susan MacKenty Brady, CEO of the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership, was featured in a segment discussing the barriers women face in advancing within the workplace.

The latest McKinsey report highlights the significant underrepresentation of women in executive roles as well as the sobering findings that women are falling behind earlier in their careers. This was the 10th year and the report is an impressive data set. For women to fall behind early in their careers means they miss out on crucial promotions that have a lasting, compounding impact.  

This “broken rung” phenomenon presents a key opportunity for organizations to better support women through targeted development programs and resources, ensuring they have the tools and support to thrive as they progress in their careers.

For the broken rung to be mended, women do have a part to play in their own advancement. We know from our work at the Institute over the years that women are ambitious – they want to thrive and create a positive impact in the workplace. The 7 Practices, featured in the best-seller Arrive & Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership, are designed for every woman to use across her career journey.        

Managers and organizations have a big role to play in mending the broken rung. Realizing that there is a bias around age (especially for women under 30, surprisingly) and working to eliminate the impact of that bias in decision making are issues in need of addressing. To see accelerated change – where more women stay in and step into increased leadership responsibility and impact, organizations will first need executive leadership commitment to change the tide.

Once they commit to not just mending the broken rung – but to attracting, retaining, engaging, and advancing women – executives must lead the way on developing aware leaders at all levels. These efforts will ultimately create cultures where all can thrive, with a focus on ongoing practices and policies that enable a working culture that works for women, along with a continued investment in leadership development for women.

Together, with the right leadership, resources, and commitment, we can mend the broken rung and create workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We are proud to be part of this movement, building on Simmons’ rich legacy to drive lasting, positive change for women and organizations alike.