Alternative Career Advice for Anyone Stuck Beneath the Glass Ceiling

I took it literally, and found a way

I was in bed writing, when I looked up. Nothing remarkable was above, just a white ceiling. A thought flashed through my mind, ‘can I reach the ceiling?” Quick. Was the resounding answer, ‘No!’

This got me thinking about glass ceilings, and started me on a journey exploring corporate glass ceilings.

Setting the scenario

There are ceilings in every room. Mine separates my bedroom from the loft space. Without the ceiling, my room would be full of spiders, dust, boxes of all kinds, shoes, unused cupboards, clothes and more. I am glad there is a ceiling and I won’t want to break it. The loft can stay hidden.

But there is another kind of ceiling — the fabled glass ceiling. It’s not real, but it’s important. This ceiling is ‘see-through.’ Above it a room, a gorgeous clean room with beautiful people. They walk confidently, slightly arrogant perhaps. I can see clearly what goes on beyond the glass ceiling. And whatever I can see, that I can be. So I make the room beyond the ‘glass ceiling’ my goal.

But the people say no. They won’t reach down and help me up. There’s no stairwell, no elevator. The only way in the room, is to break the ceiling. First, I’ve got to get out of bed.

The ceiling is even further than my bedroom ceiling. No matter how hard I jump, I can’t reach. I trained for years, but it seemed my university degree does not make the jump. Even when I reach — there is not enough power in my fist to break through. I stop trying, recover my breathe, look up in wonder — will I ever make it?

Time to play dirty

A quick Google search reveals multiple blogs on how to break the glass ceiling. Addressing the invisible barrier faced by women and minority ethnic groups when going for promotions, leadership positions, equal pay etc. Excellently researched and written, they are predictable and boring.

As a writer I see a different path.

Here is something random, equally valid, albeit a different track. Follow these steps at your own peril.

1. Announce yourself

The people above the glass ceiling know you are below, but they really do not care. You have to get their attention. Hey you, yes you. I am down here, but I belong up there and I am coming. Don’t be mousy. Be bold and announce your intentions to rise. Wave, shout, dance, whatever — Get noticed.

2. Get a stick

It’s a ceiling, y’all. You can’t reach it jumping or shouting. So get a long hard stick — think javelin; and use it. Drive it upwards with force — thump, thump thump. Find a weak point and hit that spot, over and over again. No one above the glass ceiling wants to tumble down. The cowards will move.

3. Focus focus focus

Direct your energy on a single weak spot and back it up with your strength. What point in the ceiling will you target? — lack of diversity, lack of expertise? Focus on that weak spot and put your skills, experience, expertise, training behind your attack — remember the stick? This is how to use it — with power.

4. Don’t listen

They are gonna start yelling soon. That’s good, it means they notice you and they are afraid. This is the hardest part of the process. They will call you names, they will bring up past failings and irrelevant mistakes. Ignore the voices and the memos — stay on course and keep forcing that stick upwards. Hard. Harder.

5. Rent a crowd

Yes, friends, enemies and all in-between. get them, and here is your strategy. Everyone hold unto the Javelin, take a few steps back. Then run, accelerate, put some power, one massive shove. Drive it in. Rest. Repeat. You need all the help you can get. Linkedin followers, Twitters likes, it all helps.

Enjoy the room

Did you make it? Ceilings are places that remain unchanged. No-one reaches for a ceiling except to paint it. But that’s why you have to do it. As for me, it’s back to sitting up in bed, staring at my white ceiling and trying not to get distracted.

Did you enjoy this? Then you may like my ‘alternative’ advice stories. Wisdom in the ordinary moments of life.