The Gen Z CEO of Lean In says the ‘broken rung’ is one of the most pervasive issues women face in their careers

Women are looking to climb the corporate ladder, but broken steps are holding them back from reaching their full potential. Bridget Griswold, the 25-year-old CEO of women’s empowerment non-profit Lean In, is already witnessing how early-career setbacks reverberate in leadership representation around the country.

“That is a huge problem that women face, and where this is manifesting is in this thing that we call at Lean In, the broken rung,” Griswold told editorial director Kristin Stoller onstage at Fortune’s annual Most Powerful Women conference in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Tuesday. “The broken rung is one of the most entrenched problems that women face, and it’s early in their career. It’s the first promotion, from entry-level, to manager.”

The Gen Z CEO noted that only 93 entry-level women were promoted to manager for every 100 entry-level men in 2025. It may seem like a small gap, Griswold said, but it’s just the first hurdle that has a domino effect on their career success. 

“This really matters........

© Fortune