Women’s Day Op-ed: Standing on the Glass Cliff

Written By: France-Michèle Thomas, Vice President at Citoyen Relations

Every year, in the lead-up to International Women’s Day, I impatiently wait for the themes that will focus on creating an inclusive world where women of all backgrounds, identities and experiences are acknowledged. This year, as I contemplate the theme of “Inspire Inclusion,” I am indeed filled with that familiar sense of empowerment. However, alongside this feeling, I am also struck by a deep yearning for inclusion for women at ALL stages of their careers.

The conversation of women at the top feeling left out is one that must continue to be addressed. Maybe, if we start there, the trickle down effect of that conversation will inspire real inclusion for everyone. We have all heard about the “glass ceiling” - and celebrate when women make it to the top after defying the odds to get there. From the outside looking in, that position looks like a great place to be and what we’ve all been pushing to achieve. But what happens when the ‘shiny part’ goes away and those who shattered the glass are actually standing alone on the shards? They stand on what I, and researchers refer to as “the glass cliff”.

Michelle Ryan, a Social and Organizational Psychologist at the University of Exeter, defines the ‘glass cliff’ as “a situation where a woman or a woman of colour is promoted to a senior leadership role during a difficult time, or when the risk of failure is high.” The events of mid-2020 – a global pandemic and a heightened focus on diversity and inclusion – created the perfect storm for many women, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to find themselves on this cliff’s edge. At that time, eyes were on the “Who Are We” pages of websites to count how many diverse leaders filled the headshot slots and when the number was low, the promotions began. But not much resource building occurs when boxes are just being checked. The focus was on simply breaking the ceiling and creating “the firsts”, but true progress requires more than just symbolic gestures. To stay afloat in the sky after breaking through requires support. The only way off a cliff is to jump or be pushed - either way, the direction is down.

The late great Shirley Chisholm once said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair”. Well, Ms. Chisholm would be proud to know that in the past decade, women in the communications and marketing industries have indeed heeded her advice, pushing their metaphorical folding chairs into rooms where doors were once firmly shut. Today, women occupy more than 73% of all management positions (Bureau of Labour Statistics) in the public relations industry, a testament to their resilience and tenacity. We made it in the room - we may have some cuts and bruises from the push to the top, but here we are! We should be flying high and leading those meetings as we always envisioned. We should be managing budgets and making impactful decisions that positively affect the bottom line. We should be doing all the things our male counterparts are doing. Yet, despite breaking through the glass ceiling, many women find themselves perched precariously on the edge of a cliff, grappling with the challenges of leadership without the necessary resources or support.

Undoubtedly, our predecessors would be pleased to know these opportunities to, not only enter the room, but then to also uphold leadership titles, are even an option. But we are past the point of just being grateful to exist in these spaces. We deserve the right to thrive in them. Businesses must play an active role in the success of employees at all levels. Create frameworks for roles that are explicit, achievable and measurable, and be as transparent as possible about potential challenges. Opportunities for mentoring and networking at all levels, but especially at the C-suite level, where it is often difficult to find others going through stressful situations, is crucial. Access to this type of support can lead to longevity in the role. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, allow women and women of colour the same grace to fail as their white, male counterparts. Hardships will inevitably come. Ensuring room for growth and learning is vital, even at higher levels.

The glass cliff is a painful reality faced by too many women. But there is a clear direction to a better future. To the women going through this or who have gone through this, you are validated in your feelings. You are validated in your celebratory feelings when you landed the coveted role and you are validated in your confused feelings of stress and pressure and “how am I failing at this when this is what I worked so hard for?” feelings. The thoughts of “well, they put me in the room, I must make it work”. Or the feeling of embarrassment when removing your high title from LinkedIn when leaving that role everyone congratulated you on. It is all valid.

As we aim to “inspire inclusion” this year, we extend a hand to you and include you in the circles you have undoubtedly included us in too. Our hats go off to you as we work together to stand tall and successful on that cliff to not fall, but instead enjoy the beautiful view.

France-Michèle Thomas, Vice President at Citoyen Relations, brings over 20 years of experience in brand development and marketing communications. A talented communicator, she has acquired expertise in brand and corporate communications, media relations, crisis management, event planning and social media management with several groups and agencies.

Dynamic, committed and curious, France-Michèle is a partner who is constantly looking for new challenges and the best results for her clients. She has demonstrated her expertise and talent by developing strategies and orchestrating product launches for clients such as Molson, Loblaws, Pepsico, L’Oréal, the CCAM, Microsoft, Tangerine, Best Buy, Mexico Tourism, Tourism Australia, Choose Chicago, Fasken and Innergex.

Throughout her career, she has guided the unique vision of her many clients and deepened her knowledge of the dynamics of the cultural landscape. Her insight has allowed her to create dialogues between brands and their target audiences integrated in traditional and digital platforms.

France-Michèle is on the board of the Réseau d’action en santé cardiovasculaire launched by Dr. Julie St-Pierre.