The extra step many women take to become CEO

The number of women running the largest companies in the country is modestly on the rise. But a closer look at how their paths to the C-suite differed from many of their men peers reveals a system that remains unfair to women.

Women constitute nearly 10% of the CEOs of S&P 500 companies today compared to 2% in 2000. And an analysis conducted by nonprofit Women’s Power Gap proved women CEOs are just as, if not more, qualified to lead than their men counterparts. In fact, women CEOs are 32% more likely to take an additional step as president before becoming a chief executive.

And this finding appears to hold true when you examine the Fortune 500 as well: all seven of the women who became Fortune 500 chiefs in the past year held the title of president before being promoted.

So why do women often have to take an extra step up the corporate ladder before getting to the very top? Performance bias, or the deep-rooted—and incorrect—assumptions about women’s and men’s abilities, likely has something to do with it.

We tend to underestimate women’s performance and overestimate men’s. Because of this, women need to work harder to prove they’re just as capable, and they have to accomplish more to prove that they’re as competent as men. This is why women are often hired based on past accomplishments (they need to prove that they have the right skills), while men are often hired based on future potential (we assume they have the skills they need).

This reality has a very real impact on women’s careers, regardless of their level: on average, women are promoted at lower rates than men, with Black and Latina women promoted at lower rates than women overall.

It’s clear the entire narrative about women’s and men’s abilities must change. But as you think about your own career, there are a few things you can do right now to reduce the impact of performance bias:

• If someone questions your competence, ask specific follow-up questions. For example, you could say something like, “Can you tell me more about why you don’t think I’m ready for a promotion?” This can help the person recognize that their assumptions might be wrong.
• You can also take proactive steps to make it more likely your work will be recognized by aligning with your manager on what strong performance looks like in your role. This is a best practice for all employees, but because of performance bias, it’s especially critical for women.
• Also, build relationships with colleagues who can advocate for you. Get to know people across levels and teams. Make a point of connecting with senior employees—both men and women—who can promote your talents.

For more, check out the video and accompanying discussion guide on how to get the recognition you deserve at work from our Women at Work Collection.