A Six-Step Guide to Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Women are still scarce at the top, reports the Swiss weekly Handelszeitung. How can they break through the glass ceiling by taking matters into their own hands? Egon Zehnder consultant Simone Stebler identifies six ways for women to advance their careers. The first step for Stebler is analysing core competences and checking their alignment with their company’s strategic goals. She then urges women to identify any potential skill deficits and address them. “Openly discussing ambitions with your boss is also crucial to building a career, as this can boost your visibility,” notes Stebler. Her fifth building block for career success is formulating a long-term plan. “Many women get their first leadership role thanks to their expertise. But this will not get them any further,” warns Stebler. In her experience, strategic and leadership skills are essential to taking the next step. Finally, she advises women to look beyond their bosses in the search for mentors and to build up company-wide networks.

Full story: “Die durch die gläserne Decke gehen” (“Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling”) by Johannes J. Schraner in the Handelszeitung (22 February 2018).