The Danger of the Glass Cliff for Women and People of Color

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The term ‘glass cliff’ is when a woman or member of a minority group is appointed as leader amidst crisis when succeeding or rising above it seems almost impossible.

Read the article about about the invisible danger of leaving women and people of color on the edge of a glass cliff.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220204-the-danger-of-the-glass-cliff-for-women-and-people-of-colour

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think this is being done to women and POC?
2. Researchers did not find a glass cliff in companies in the UK and Germany and so they dismissed it as a “myth”. What are your thoughts on this?
3. Have you ever felt like you were or someone you know was put on a glass cliff? Talk about that instance. What did you/they do in order to succeed in that moment?
4. How do you support your leaders at work?
5. What do you know and think about the promotion pattern of your own company or the companies you’ve worked for before?