Andréa Carter is the SEVP and CHRO for Global Payments Inc., a leading worldwide provider of payment technology and software solutions.
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Women are leaving companies at higher rates than ever before, often because they face headwinds that make it difficult to advance. It may surprise some that the C-suite can present similar barriers. Reaching the C-suite is usually viewed as the end of the proverbial road: Either the glass ceiling stops women and/or people of color from progressing in their careers, or it’s the finish line for those who manage to break it.
In actuality, the glass ceiling is not the final barrier. Many underrepresented groups continue to face real and entrenched barriers to advancement and success even at the pinnacle of their careers—a phenomenon known as glass walls. Glass walls are often-overlooked barriers that can prevent women and/or people of color from performing effectively in their roles or reaching the next level in their careers. These barriers may be subtle, but they’re no less real.
C-suites and other top tiers in the corporate hierarchy have their own culture, and the road to power and influence often goes through a myriad of unofficial channels—from tee time conversations to text message groups and other informal networks that form around hobbies or commonalities unrelated to the workplace. Often, these networks end up sidelining those who have different interests or backgrounds than the majority culture.
The responsibility for removing these barriers falls on all of us. It’s a systemic issue that can be remedied if we recognize the issues at play and take purposeful steps to overcome them.
Lead with education.
Organizations can make significant strides in their journey toward a more inclusive C-suite if they lead with education. And, like so many other culture challenges at companies, establishing this as a priority should begin at the top.
Unconscious bias training is a good place to start. This process helps anyone who participates by initiating self-reflection, and it should include instructions to correct the ways that people can perpetuate isolation and unwittingly prevent certain employee groups from reaching their maximum potential.
Unconscious bias training can help break down glass walls by fostering an environment where awareness of differences is encouraged and ownership of this process becomes the responsibility of everybody on the team. When mindsets start to change, monolithic C-suite cultures start to give way to diverse approaches where new, more inclusive ways of making decisions and getting things done are considered.
Through creating training and development exercises, leaders can equip themselves to address barriers while also actively helping newcomers to the C-suite navigate the dynamics of their position and environment. When all employees are empowered to succeed, it’s not just good for women and people of color—it’s also good for the business.
Encourage open communication.
Once organizations shine a light on unconscious biases that can perpetuate glass walls, encouraging open, ongoing communication about the issue is the best way to ensure old patterns continue to be challenged and informal networks become more inclusive. This is important at every level of an organization, including the C-suite.
The goal is not to eliminate informal networks, which are important channels for communication and decision-making, but to ensure that they are accessible to everybody who should be involved, regardless of gender or race. However, because these networks are embedded in the way that companies conduct business, the process of evolving them so they’re inclusive must be an ongoing, productive conversation where employees—both inside and outside of these networks—are encouraged to speak honestly with each other. These conversations should flow effortlessly across all the ways employees communicate, from face-to-face meetings to video calls.
In an organization where communication is encouraged, people feel safe to have hard conversations when they encounter obstacles and confident there won’t be retribution. Those inside these informal networks must also recognize these networks exist and ask colleagues about their perceptions and concerns without fear of being misunderstood.
Establish mentorship and sponsorship programs.
Glass walls below the C-suite are often the reason that women and people of color don’t cultivate the business track record that gets them to top management. One common glass wall is a lack of sponsors or mentors to fight on the employee’s behalf, ensuring—and sometimes demanding—that they obtain the right stepping-stone jobs that are critical to the success of the C-suite executive.
Mentorship and sponsorship programs are common ways to help people acclimate to a leadership role and maximize their effectiveness. While mentors can be incredibly beneficial, they typically focus on dispensing advice. Sponsorship, in contrast, takes mentorship to the next level and can be an especially effective way to help break down glass walls. A mentor encourages a mentee to “lean in”; a sponsor adds them to the group text where important things are being discussed. Sponsors take an active role in making sure people get the projects or invites they need to be effective in their roles and, ultimately, make their case for the next promotion.
Offering sponsorship and mentorship programs can help companies identify potential issues and create leadership pipelines. These programs are powerful tools for promoting equity at your organization by creating intentional, inclusive relationships that support those facing barriers.
Pay it forward.
As leaders progress in their careers, it’s important for them to remember the obstacles they once overcame and pay it forward.
As a woman of color in the C-suite, I know the value of navigating corporate cultures and I’ve seen firsthand the critical importance of informal networks and unofficial decision-making structures in making—or limiting—careers among people who were otherwise equally competent.
Companies need to take a proactive role in helping leaders thrive in their roles, whether that’s through unconscious bias training, improved communication, sponsorship programs—or, ideally, an all-of-the-above approach that makes inclusion in leadership roles a priority.
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