Glass Cliff

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /ɡlæs klɪf/

Definitions of glass cliff

noun a metaphor referring to the phenomenon where women or minorities are more likely to be put into leadership positions during times of crisis or downturn, when the chance of failure is higher

Example Sentences

A1 The glass cliff is a term used to describe the phenomenon of women being appointed to leadership roles in times of crisis.

A2 Research has shown that women are more likely to be placed on the glass cliff in male-dominated industries.

B1 Awareness of the glass cliff can help organizations avoid unintentionally putting women in precarious leadership roles.

B2 The glass cliff phenomenon highlights the systemic barriers that women face in climbing the corporate ladder.

C1 Leadership development programs should address the issue of the glass cliff to promote gender equality in the workplace.

C2 Addressing the glass cliff requires a cultural shift within organizations to support women in leadership roles.

Examples of glass cliff in a Sentence

formal The concept of the glass cliff refers to the trend of women being appointed to leadership positions during times of crisis or downturn.

informal It seems like women are often put in charge when things are already going downhill, known as the glass cliff.

slang Being handed the leadership role when everything is falling apart is like standing on the glass cliff.

figurative She felt like she was teetering on the edge of a glass cliff, unsure if she would be able to lead the company out of trouble.

Grammatical Forms of glass cliff

past tense

glass cliffted

plural

glass cliffs

comparative

more glass cliff

superlative

most glass cliff

present tense

glass cliffs

future tense

will glass cliff

perfect tense

have glass cliffed

continuous tense

is glass cliffing

singular

glass cliff

positive degree

glass cliff

infinitive

to glass cliff

gerund

glass cliffing

participle

glass cliffed

Origin and Evolution of glass cliff

First Known Use: 2005 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The term 'glass cliff' was coined by researchers Michelle K. Ryan and Alex Haslam in a study published in 2005.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in the context of corporate leadership, the term 'glass cliff' has since expanded to describe situations where women and minorities are more likely to be put in leadership positions during times of crisis or downturn.