Smart Steps
Women business leaders and entrepreneurs from various industries share their tips and advice in a "quick read format" on a variety topics.
Topic: Take Charge of Your Career Path in Midlife
April 2024
Kimberly Rath, MBA, (left) & Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, Ph.D.
Cofounders of Zeal of the Heel Photo Courtesy: Kimberly Rath & Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer |
Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, Ph.D., cofounder of Zeal of the Heel and founder of Bentzen Performance Partners, is a business executive, human capital strategist, author, and executive coach. Working from the time she was 14, her leadership journey began early. A working mom and breadwinner serving in predominantly male-led industries, throughout most of her 30-year career, she was the youngest and only female on the executive team.
Navigating a progressive career as a chief executive in gaming, hospitality and healthcare, while raising two children and pursuing advanced degrees, Cynthia has experienced the joys and challenges of trying to “have it all.” With deep appreciation for those who shined a light for her, and as a social psychologist with a passion to unleash human potential, she feels a personal responsibility to help women claim their agency and amplify their possibilities. Kimberly Rath, MBA, is a bestselling author, cofounder of Zeal of the Heel, and cofounder and cochairman of Talent Plus.® An innovator and visionary, Kimberly has been at the forefront of thinking about talent her entire career, helping others discover and develop their unique strengths. Through her leadership at Talent Plus,® she has delivered tremendous outcomes for some of the world’s most well-known brands, including Estée Lauder, Ferragamo, Delta Airlines, UCLA Health, University of Kansas Health, The Ritz-Carlton, and KSL Resorts. Kimberly is passionate about giving back, sitting on several boards, and supporting various foundations and professional organizations. Kimberly is also the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of Business Success Secrets. |
Women outpace men in earning advanced degrees and constitute a significant portion of the workforce, so the persistence of the limited progression to the C-Suite and gender wage gap raises unsettling questions. Women hold only 8.6% of the CEO roles in the S&P 500 and only 10.6% of the Fortune 500. Further, Pew recently reported that mid-career women aged 35 to 54 earn only 83% of their male counterparts in comparable jobs, a statistic that has stagnated over the past two decades.
Motherhood is often a scapegoat for the increase in the wage gap and the “broken rung,” the idea that women encounter barriers to or miss entirely opportunities to start climbing the corporate ladder, but the data does not support this theory. When controlling for educational levels, there is little difference in the wages of women with and without children, prompting us to explore the real culprit behind this growing gender disparity.
While societal and cultural norms undoubtedly contribute to wage injustice, our qualitative research, revealed in Now, Near, Next: A Practical Guide for Mid-Career Women to Move from Professional Serendipity to Intentional Advancement, emphasizes a controllable factor that significantly impacts mid-career gender inequity: the lack of professional intentionality. For many women, mid-career can feel like an endless merry-go-round — a ride that starts with enthusiasm and promise but leaves them stuck on the same pony while their male counterparts sprint ahead on real horses. Instead, we promote intentionally looking up, looking forward, and starting work on your future today.
Our qualitative research, drawing insights from 30 women with successful careers spanning diverse demographics and industries, highlighted two critical factors perpetuating this phenomenon.
Firstly, societal and corporate cultures often encourage women to put their heads down and work hard, with the promise that good things will happen. Over-indexing on performance, they believe success will find them once they reach an elusive level of mastery.
Secondly, the juggling act of caring for others leaves little time for unapologetic, guilt-free investments in their own futures. According to Fast Company, 78% of mothers feel guilty for not spending enough time with their kids. At the same time, 42% of women reported feeling guilty about leaving work early for family obligations. Further, a 2020 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP reported that “more than one in five Americans are caring for an aging parent, 61% of whom are women.”
The mid-career women we interviewed admitted to neglecting intentional planning for and investment in their professional futures. Many credited chance, luck, and being in the right place at the right time for their achievements while acknowledging that greater purposefulness could have propelled them further, faster. They also recognized that making themselves a priority, setting healthy boundaries, and asking for help is not selfish; it is self-actualizing.
Intentionality alone cannot eradicate systemic issues like patriarchal cultures, ageism, and discrimination — often cited as the root cause of gender wage disparities. Still, creating and enforcing boundaries to prioritize personal and professional development does offer a mitigating variable by empowering self-agency. Waiting for the perfect alignment of circumstances is futile; the time to act is now.
Motherhood is often a scapegoat for the increase in the wage gap and the “broken rung,” the idea that women encounter barriers to or miss entirely opportunities to start climbing the corporate ladder, but the data does not support this theory. When controlling for educational levels, there is little difference in the wages of women with and without children, prompting us to explore the real culprit behind this growing gender disparity.
While societal and cultural norms undoubtedly contribute to wage injustice, our qualitative research, revealed in Now, Near, Next: A Practical Guide for Mid-Career Women to Move from Professional Serendipity to Intentional Advancement, emphasizes a controllable factor that significantly impacts mid-career gender inequity: the lack of professional intentionality. For many women, mid-career can feel like an endless merry-go-round — a ride that starts with enthusiasm and promise but leaves them stuck on the same pony while their male counterparts sprint ahead on real horses. Instead, we promote intentionally looking up, looking forward, and starting work on your future today.
Our qualitative research, drawing insights from 30 women with successful careers spanning diverse demographics and industries, highlighted two critical factors perpetuating this phenomenon.
Firstly, societal and corporate cultures often encourage women to put their heads down and work hard, with the promise that good things will happen. Over-indexing on performance, they believe success will find them once they reach an elusive level of mastery.
Secondly, the juggling act of caring for others leaves little time for unapologetic, guilt-free investments in their own futures. According to Fast Company, 78% of mothers feel guilty for not spending enough time with their kids. At the same time, 42% of women reported feeling guilty about leaving work early for family obligations. Further, a 2020 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and AARP reported that “more than one in five Americans are caring for an aging parent, 61% of whom are women.”
The mid-career women we interviewed admitted to neglecting intentional planning for and investment in their professional futures. Many credited chance, luck, and being in the right place at the right time for their achievements while acknowledging that greater purposefulness could have propelled them further, faster. They also recognized that making themselves a priority, setting healthy boundaries, and asking for help is not selfish; it is self-actualizing.
Intentionality alone cannot eradicate systemic issues like patriarchal cultures, ageism, and discrimination — often cited as the root cause of gender wage disparities. Still, creating and enforcing boundaries to prioritize personal and professional development does offer a mitigating variable by empowering self-agency. Waiting for the perfect alignment of circumstances is futile; the time to act is now.
"Still, creating and enforcing boundaries to prioritize personal and professional development does offer a mitigating variable by empowering self-agency. Waiting for the perfect alignment of circumstances is futile; the time to act is now." |
To escape the broken rung and move toward representation in the c-suite and pay equity, mid-career women must take the following steps:
Identify a new ride, chart your path: Identify your next career milestone (e.g., certification, degree, promotion, broader responsibilities) and create an action plan of the steps needed to reach your next by a date you choose. Most importantly, start working on your future today! Download this blueprint.
Build your skills: The workforce is changing as technology and AI rapidly automate work. Knowledge leaders are going to be in greater demand. Expand your knowledge and skills in your area of focus through books, podcasts, certifications, etc.
Vocalize your aspirations: People can't read your mind. Identify sponsors and advocates, people who know your work and your talent, and share with them your aspirations. Ask them to coffee or make a 30-minute meeting to share your admiration for the role they have achieved and your interest in what is next.
Advocate for yourself: Women seldom negotiate pay or raises. If you feel that your pay or raise is less than competitive and commensurate with performance, ask your leader what it would take to receive the pay that you feel is just. Negotiate either an immediate or future increase based on agreed upon performance criteria. If you desire a more flexible schedule, put together a proposal and discuss with your leader the ways that you can serve the organization and achieve the desired balance.
Make a strategic move: There may come a time that it is necessary to move on. It is important that you aren't running from something, but intentionally moving to something. This may be that you have "graduated" from the role and there aren't opportunities that will continue to challenge and actualize your talent. Don't stay for comfort. In other cases, you may choose to take on a different type of role to broaden your experience in a new industry or business sector. These strategic moves can accelerate future growth.
The key lies in looking forward, acknowledging that the perfect moment may never arrive, but the power to effect change begins within.