#Nextchat: Leaning In and Opting Out

For the past 40+ years, Boomer and Gen X women have “leaned in” to balance work and family in order to have it all.  Many have done so with great success.  However, that success seems to drop off significantly somewhere between the levels of “management” and the “executive offices.”

McKinsey & Company reports that interviews with some 200 successful women yielded intriguing insights: "Despite their career success, 59 percent of women said they did not aspire to the C-suite."   And Catalyst reports that while 46 percent of the U.S. labor force is women, only four percent are in the C-Suite."

In a recent interview  with Sheryl Sandberg, McKinsey reports that “Women in their 20s seem worried: ‘I’m working too hard to find a partner.’ ‘I can’t have a baby and do this.’ ‘I can’t do all these things.’

Additionally, many Gen X and Boomer women, over the past ten years, have entered the “sandwich generation,” are responsible for the care of both children and parents, and are declining promotions because of it. 

Opportunities for women to advance in the workplace are greater than ever.  “Almost nine in 10 CEOs agree that tapping female talent is important to ‘getting the best brains’ and competing in markets where women now make most of the purchasing decisions.” 

So why aren’t there more women at the top? 

And are women's views of work, success and balance changing?

Please join us at 3 p.m. ET on May 15 for #Nextchat with Crystal Miller (@TheOneCrystal) and Carrie Corbin (@TheAlphaFemme). We'll examine trends and explore the issues affecting women in the workplace.

Q1.  Do you agree that opportunities for women to advance in the workplace are greater than ever?

Q2.  What issues or factors remain hindrances to women’s advancement in the workplace?

Q3.  Why are only 4% of the 51% of women in management positions making it to the C-Suite? What happens to them on the way?

Q4.  Why are Gen Y women opting out of the” having it all model?”

Q5.  With Gen Y preferences for flatter org charts, will women in the C-Suite actually decline in the future? 

Q6.  Are there only 4% of women in the C-Suite because only 4% want to be in the C-suite or are women still being held back?

Q7.  As an HR pro, what trends do you see occurring with women’s advancement in the workplace?