The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It

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Kweilin Ellingrud Lareina Yee

The Broken Rung

When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It

Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, Maria del Mar Martinez

$54.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Harvard Business Review Press
18 June 2025

Gender studies: women; Careers guidance; Management: leadership & motivation

The broken rung is more pervasive than the glass ceiling in holding women back from career success. Three McKinsey senior partners offer strategies for overcoming it and fulfilling your potential.

Women around the world do extremely well when it comes to their education. They graduate at higher rates than men and have higher average GPAs. But then a strange thing happens: upon entering the workforce, they immediately lose their advantage. When the first promotions come around, the slide continues. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women overall and 77 women of color get promoted.

This is what McKinsey senior partners Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and Mara del Mar Martnez call 'the broken rung', and its effects compound throughout women's careers, causing them to fall behind at the start and keeping them from catching up. In this groundbreaking book, the authors reveal the problem's underlying cause: while about half of a person's lifetime earnings come from education and half from work experience, men get more value from their experience than women do. It is also here, in one's work experience, that the solution lies: women need to build their 'experience capital' to level the playing field and maximise their earning potential.

The book combines over a decade of research, personal conversations with more than fifty remarkable leaders, and the authors' own rich experiences as leaders at McKinsey. They weave data on the potential pitfalls with inspiring and instructive stories of women who have climbed over the broken rung using strategies that increased their experience capital.

Leaders and companies must do more to address gender inequalities in the workplace. But you don't have to wait. The Broken Rung is your guide, right now, for moving up the career ladder and reaching your full potential at work.

By: Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, Maria del Mar Martinez
Imprint: Harvard Business Review Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 155mm,
ISBN: 9781647827182
ISBN 10: 1647827183
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 18 June 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and Mara del Mar Martnez are friends, colleagues, and passionate advocates for advancing women in business and society. They are senior partners at McKinsey & Company, supporting clients in different industries and geographies. Each has served as McKinsey's chief diversity and inclusion officer.

Reviews for The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It

Advance Praise for The Broken Rung: ""The Broken Rung paints a vivid picture of the systemic, often hidden barriers women face in the workplace. With data-driven insights and inspiring stories, it's an essential guide for overcoming career obstacles."" — Marc Benioff, cofounder, Chairman, and CEO, Salesforce ""Women perform very well at school but lose ground as soon as they start working. The Broken Rung shares deep research, lessons, and advice to raise awareness and help women succeed in their careers. Very good insights for men, too!"" — Ana Botín, Executive Chairman, Banco Santander ""Most people say they support women's success. If you really do, read and apply this book. And then give it to everyone you know. When women succeed, we all do."" — Reid Hoffman, cofounder, LinkedIn and Inflection AI; partner, Greylock Partners ""Around the world, women still face many barriers to advancement. The authors of this book aren't just committed to building fairer workplaces, they're working to help women navigate unfairness. The Broken Rung is a timely resource for women to take their careers into their own hands."" — Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author, Hidden Potential and Think Again; podcast host, Re:Thinking ""A powerful guide for women aiming to succeed in their careers . . . The Broken Rung not only reflects on the systemic challenges that women face in the workplace but also shares many real-life, personal stories that are very relatable, actionable, and inspiring."" — Jessica Tan, President, Sun Life Canada; former Co-CEO, Ping An Insurance