Women and gender diverse Australians remain under-represented in all key decision-making roles across almost all industries in the Australian workforce – and even in female‑dominated industries, men are still more likely to occupy more senior positions.
From subtle biases to overt sexism, women are often forced to navigate gendered barriers on their way to senior leadership positions, and when they do reach the top, its often under highly precarious circumstances.
The "glass cliff" phenomenon was coined by our Director, Professor Michelle Ryan and her research partner Alex Haslan. They found that women, gender diverse leaders and other minoritised groups are more likely to be appointed to top positions during times of crisis – when companies are struggling, during the height of a political storm, or in the midst of a financial crash, for example – and so are set up to fail, left teetering on the edge of the proverbial "glass cliff".
Our research unpacks the forces behind this inequity, and offers evidence-based approaches to promote women and gender diverse leaders across sectors and countries. We also challenge the stereotypical concept of "leadership" by looking beyond the corporate world to explore the difference women make through their leadership in activism, community work and other grassroots organisations and movements.
