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

Women aspire to advance in their careers, yet systemic barriers are undermining their efforts to achieve their full potential. Bridget Griswold, the 25-year-old CEO of the women's empowerment organization Lean In, is acutely aware of how setbacks in the early stages of women’s careers can have lasting ramifications on their leadership representation nationwide.

"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 articulated while speaking with editorial director Kristin Stoller at Fortune's annual Most Powerful Women conference in Santa Barbara, California. "The broken rung represents one of the most deeply entrenched issues that women encounter early in their careers—specifically the first promotion from entry-level to manager."

Griswold highlighted a startling statistic: in 2025, only 93 entry-level women were promoted to manager for every 100 entry-level men. Though this disparity might appear minor, she emphasized that it marks the initial challenge that can set off a chain reaction affecting women’s broader career trajectories.

"This really matters because if women—if once you don't get that first promotion—it's then really hard to catch up," the Lean In CEO explained. "We cannot address the underrepresentation of women in senior leadership roles if we fail to resolve the broken rung at the entry level."

However, fixing this issue and creating equitable opportunities for women is achievable. Griswold noted that back in 2021, 90% of companies prioritized diversity, which nearly narrowed the broken rung gap for Black women the following year. Regrettably, without continuous commitment to this initiative, the situation has worsened again, with only 60 Black women promoted for every 100 men in 2025.

"These numbers were going in the wrong direction," Griswold remarked.

Despite the obstacles that women encounter in their professional advancement, Griswold's own ascent serves as a testament to the potential for young women to achieve leadership roles. Her rise to CEO of the prominent global nonprofit organization has been remarkable. Appointed by the organization's founder, former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, following a brief tenure as a product manager at Meta, Griswold's appointment as a Gen Z leader in a significant company is particularly noteworthy. She believes her youth actually enhances her effectiveness in her role.

"I like to believe I'm quite fearless, which I think has treated me well in this role," Griswold expressed. "And in being young, it really allows me to trust in my leadership team…for a lot of counsel and domain expertise."

As the youthful leader of Lean In, Griswold advocates for the idea that women should not be expected to wait for their opportunity to lead. Her elevation to CEO sparked discussions, particularly among critics who questioned her age in relation to her responsibilities. In response to this scrutiny, Griswold shared that a dialogue with Sandberg shed light on existing double standards and underscored the urgent need to redefine societal expectations for the ambitions of young women.

"When a young man gets a big job in our world, it's not really that interesting because it happens often," the Gen Z CEO pointed out. "When a young woman gets a big job, which happened to me, it's a little more interesting because it's rare. And that is why I do this work: so that when women get big jobs, it won't be something that's surprising. It will just be a matter of fact."