Have you hit a ‘glass wall’?

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all of this, talk to them about it even, but that doesn’t mean you’re necessarily speaking the same language or even have the same expectations of work. And almost definitely you don’t share the same idea of what is and isn’t ‘fun’ office banter.

We’ve been doing our research. Over the last two years, we have interviewed more than 100 working men and women (across the UK, US and Russia) with careers in finance, the creative industries, the public sector and the City. Through in-depth interviews we explored how they experience the world of work and view the role of women in their industries, and they shared their own experiences and anecdotes. Men in senior roles often expressed their frustration with the failure of women to push through to a promotion when they felt they’d been treated ‘equally’. Men believe the barriers for women are gone and that there’s an equal playing field, but we talked to women who felt there was no such thing. They were the ones about to have a baby, who knew their partners were oblivious to the idea that having a child could affect their work pattern. It was clear to us that equality in the workplace is a very male version.

When we entered our professions in media sales [Kathryn] and media buying [Sue], 30 years ago, there were virtually no senior women, but there was palpable optimism in the air that this was set to change. Sue, now chief strategy officer at top media agency Mediacom, had one of the 1980s London ad world’s few pioneering women as her first boss. We all believed that within a decade or so we could expect one in every two CEOS or MDS to be female.

Fast forward to now and the sad truth is that things haven’t changed enough. Kathryn, CEO of cinema advertising firm Pearl & Dean, is one of just a handful of women running companies in her sector in the UK. And as far as the UK goes in general, this is typical. There are more men named David running top companies than all the women, according to a name check of the FTSE 100 in March 2015. Last year’s Davies Report said that less than 10% of executive directors on FTSE 100 boards are women, and counts just five women CEOS.

And yet, the only place women are in the minority in work is in the boardroom. There are more qualified women entering the workplace than ever before, but they aren’t getting to the top jobs. And it’s not because they don’t have the talent or lack ambition. That’s why we’ve written our book Glass Wall. We’ve been fortunate enough to have fulfilling careers so far, but talking to women at every level, we’ve heard stories of frustrated potential. Time and again we understood that there is an invisible barrier, a Glass Wall, at the root of that frustration.

If, as a woman, you’re conflicted about how ruthlessly you’d behave in order to get ahead, then you’re normal. Women can be less single-minded about their next promotion, often because they have more responsibilities to juggle. This doesn’t have to mean being sidelined or that women are less able to do a more senior role. In fact, this quality might actually mean the opposite, as our findings show that women are more focused on getting things done than on power and status. But while the boss clearly sees ‘Patrick’ campaigning constantly for his promotion, there’s a Glass Wall obscuring ‘Caroline’s’ ambition, because she’s not exhibiting the same obvious behaviour. If you sense that you’re not as visibly ambitious as your male peers, it’s time to explain the situation to your management, to help them understand you’re ready and able for the next job up, but perhaps too busy being great at the current one to be as pushy.

Another kind of Glass Wall that women are encountering comes from our propensity for being too open and authentic around colleagues. From the hundreds of hours we spent interviewing women, we found that many felt their openness had been translated as a lack of gravitas, and had been used against them. Authenticity is a great attribute, but our research suggested that giving too much away emotionally can be career-limiting.

Our view is that not nearly enough bosses are aware of these barriers. It’s the system that’s at fault. They’re stuck with an old-fashioned, traditional alpha male culture and that’s something many of their talented, hardworking women staff want no part of. But for every Glass Wall you encounter, there’s a way around it or through it. Kathryn is often the only woman in her meetings and has to sit by while the guys bond with their ‘banter’. Making light of this social boundary with a casual joke about their blokey attitudes shines a light on what’s being said, gets them to drop the facade and ensures you’re not disadvantaged.

A good workplace culture should make sure that everyone feels welcome and included, but we don’t all work in the perfect company. If a Glass Wall descends in your meeting – making you feel as though you’re being ignored, or your presence isn’t being taken seriously – and you don’t say anything, the behaviour will persist. Whether you choose to come back at their patronising ‘thanks darling’ with a witty retort to ensure you get your point across, or take senior management aside to explain what’s going on in a more serious case, you should make your feelings clear.

For businesses to succeed now, and for your personal satisfaction, things need to change. Women have been waiting long enough for things to improve. Forget playing by the old rules. Smash the Glass Wall and get the career you deserve. ■