Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In Finds Women Are Leaning Out in the Workplace
Twelve years after Sheryl Sandberg’s best-seller Lean In sparked a workplace movement urging women to push for advancement, many are now leaning out. A new survey by LeanIn.org, the nonprofit Sandberg founded alongside the book’s release in 2013, conducted with McKinsey & Company shows a notable drop in women’s ambition. The survey, which polled 124 companies in the U.S. and Canada, found that for the first time, women are less likely than men to say they want a promotion.
Sandberg argues that standardized processes are essential to closing the widening ambition gap.
The Ambition Gap and Its Causes
According to the survey, 80 percent of women sought a promotion in 2025, compared to 86 percent of men. This marks a significant shift from previous years, where ambition levels were aligned. Sandberg attributes the gap to persistent barriers at every career stage, including the lack of opportunities and support for women. She notes that two in 10 companies now say women’s advancement is a low or nonexistent priority, a figure that rises to three in 10 for women of color.
Day-to-day, these barriers are reflected in how ambition is perceived and rewarded. Women are 30 percent more likely than men to be labeled “aggressive” when they ask for raises or promotions, and men in senior roles are 70 percent more likely than their female peers to be selected for leadership training. Sandberg argues that standardizing processes and establishing clear criteria can help address these disparities.
The Impact of Post-COVID Return-to-Office Mandates
The report also notes the impact of post-COVID return-to-office mandates on women’s ambition. A quarter of surveyed companies now offer fewer remote and hybrid options, policies that disproportionately affect women, who make up about two-thirds of U.S. caregivers. Women who work mostly remotely face stigma for using flexibility benefits, whereas men generally do not.
Furthermore, gender diversity programs are also shrinking. Nearly one-sixth of companies have reduced formal leadership sponsorships and scaled back programs designed for women. These cuts come amid the Trump administration’s rollback of DEI efforts and the rise of natalist policies that encourage women to have more children.
The Importance of Expanding Leadership Opportunities for Women
Sandberg emphasizes that expanding leadership opportunities for women is an economic imperative. “It’s a question of economic productivity,” she said. “Do we want to get the best out of our workforce?” She notes that the data doesn’t support the idea that staying home is inherently better for families and that these expectations “were never really gone.” Even now, she said, “Do I really think we ever fully encouraged leadership in…women as much as men?” The answer is no.
Ultimately, Sandberg argues that supporting women’s ambition is crucial for economic growth and productivity. As she said, “If you can afford to be a full-time spouse and a full-time parent as a man or a woman and you want to do that, I think that can be deeply fulfilling work. Most women don’t have that option.” For more information, read the full report Here
Image Source: observer.com
