The Glass Ceiling

Case Study Assignment: ‘The Glass Ceiling’

1. What advancement barriers did Lisa encounter?

Though Lisa Weber was her firms’ highest performing senior portfolio managers, advancement to partner position was prevented from her. This is due to the ‘glass ceiling’, symbolizing the barriers that minorities face when striving for top leadership positions (Northouse, 2013). These barriers often exist due to prejudice and stereotypes.

As the first woman to be employed in her field, Lisa was regarded as inferior and somewhat excluded. Therefore, when Lisa encountered assumptions of her lack of knowledge, she remained quite and did not defend her position. The gender-stereotypic suppositions and traditions within this firm produced biased evaluations of her talent (Heilman, 2001). When opposing the stereotypical agentic trait of not self-promoting, Lisa was clearly discriminated against in reference to her gender and her previous work as a professor. Her manager uttered that, as there hasn’t been a female partner in 103 years, she has no chance. Heilman suggests that this is common across all organisational hierarchy, as top management positions assume distinct male characteristics are a necessity (2001). The manager then proceeded to place Lisa on the “glass cliff” (Northouse, 2013), stating she could not handle her own mistakes, associating her with greater risk and criticism than her colleagues.

2. What should the firm’s top executives, including Michael, have done differently to retain Lisa?

Findings suggest that male executives tend to favour those with whom they share characteristics, making it difficult for them to place aside the predetermined opinions they form on women taking on their roles (Doldor, Vinnicombe, Gaughan, Sealy, 2012). In order to retain Lisa, the firm’s top executives should have attempted to eliminate gender biases by focusing on employees’ competencies and capabilities, rather than basing decisions on prejudice. Ultimately...