The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women—and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It
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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 María del Mar Martínez call “the broken rung,” and its effects compound throughout women’s careers. 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 maximize 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.
Stay tuned at the end of the audiobook for an exclusive author conversation.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
10 reviews for The Broken Rung: When the Career Ladder Breaks for Women—and How They Can Succeed in Spite of It
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Keith D. Dorsey, author of “The Boardroom Journey” –
Empowering and Actionable Guide to Closing the Career Gap
“The Broken Rung” is a powerful and eye-opening guide to understanding the systemic barriers women face in career advancement. Written by three seasoned McKinsey partners, it combines deep research with inspiring stories and practical strategies. The concept of the “broken rung”âwhere women are most often passed over for promotionsâresonates strongly and makes this a must-read for anyone eager to foster workplace equity. The authors focus on building “experience capital,” giving women concrete ways to level the playing field and reach their full potential. Highly recommended for women at any stage of their careers and leaders committed to creating inclusive work environments. This book is an empowering, actionable resource that can truly drive change. A must-have for anyone dedicated to advancing gender equality in the workplace!
Luisa M Armstrong –
A must-read for women looking for practical strategies
I’d heard of the glass ceiling, but was not familiar with the concept of “the broken rung” before reading this book, so I really appreciated how the authors explained what the broken rung is (the fact that at the first promotion to manager, the odds of advancement are lower for women – 81 women, on average, for every 100 men promoted); the key to sidestepping or jumping over that broken rung (building experience capital); and then shared really tangible ideas of what I can do to build my own experience capital.The authors have clearly done their research: they cite data on both the challenges women face, and use it to provide evidence-based recommendations on what women can do to tackle those challenges. I also think that the strategies the book recommends could apply to women at any point in their careers, whether starting a first job or taking a senior role. There are many stories throughout the book of real women, which I thought was really nice – I could see myself in some of the stories and appreciated hearing from other women who have experienced similar decisions or challenges.I’d recommend this book to any woman who wants practical ideas on how to overcome the obstacles that many of us face in the workplace, and who wants some guidance in figuring out how to make big decisions about her career – and life – path.
Dani L –
Insightful and actionable
Love the way the authors articulated so many concepts I intuitively feel as a woman in the corporate world, but can often be difficult to pinpoint or explain to others (e.g., the ways menâs networks seem to set them ahead more than womenâs, or why women get passed up for a promotion which theyâre more qualified for than their men colleagues). This book gave me the data to point to when having these conversations, and even more importantly helped me identify challenges Iâm more likely to face in my career with concrete strategies for how to address them when they inevitably come up.
Elizabeth Champy –
Essential career guidebook for women in the workforce
This book offers unforgettable, powerful feedback for women navigating their careers. With tons of real-world data and first-person accounts, it explores the major pain points that befall women in work, and strategies to avoid these pitfalls. With new frameworks such as experience capital, skill distance and more, it offers powerful ways for us to put our best foot forward as we go after the careers of our dreams. Whether you are looking for specific advice on how to look for a job, how to interview, how to grow your paycheck, and more, this is the book for you! Highly recommend.
Ben S. –
Perfect combo of data, stories, and advice
This book is the perfect combination of powerful data, compelling stories, and practical advice to help women advance in their careers.I was struck by how the skills and experience gained on the job (or “experience capital” as the authors call it) can drive almost half of someone’s lifetime earnings. I love how this book doesn’t just give readers these facts but spells out the experiences that actually matter and the skills that are most valuable in a rapidly-changing workplace (especially the idea that “everyone needs to be a technologist,” even if you don’t see yourself as a tech expert).I know so many people who wished they had this book when starting their careers but it’s not too late to learn from it or pay it forward by gifting it to someone in your network who is looking to accelerate their growth at work.
G3 –
Eye opening and actionable
The Broken Rung is a powerful exploration of the barriers women face in advancing to management roles. The book combines compelling data with real life stories making it both informative and relatable.What stood out to me was the focus on how small changes at the entry level management stage can create lasting organizational impact.The other thing I appreciated about the book is the authors donât just highlight the problems and admire them. They provide practical strategies for fostering workplace inclusion. This is a must read for everyone in the work place – men and women who are committed to breaking barriers and building inclusive workplaces. Highly recommend it!
Andi Almond –
Essential Reading for Every Leader Committed to Change
The Broken Rung is a powerful, data-driven, and deeply human exploration of the systemic barriers women face in the workplace. Lareina Yee, Kweilin Ellingrud, and Maria Martinez don’t just highlight the problemâthey offer real, actionable solutions for driving equity and progress. Insightful, inspiring, and essential reading for anyone ready to lead with purpose.
Steve Brock –
Stevo’s Business Book of the Week
As Stevoâs Novel Ideas, I am a long-time book reviewer, member of the media, an Influencer, and a content provider. I received this book as a review copy from either the author, the publisher or a publicist. I have not been compensated for this recommendation. I have selected it as Stevo’s Business Book of the Week for the week of 3/30, as it stands heads above other recently published books on this topic.
Gail –
Thought provoking book which needs to be broadly shared if we are to ever succeed in reducing (and eventually getting rid of) the gender pay gap and gender wellbeing gap.
Rafael –
Muy buenos consejos y recomendaciones para gestionar tu carrera