You may have heard a lot about the topic, but our presentation will draw from our experiences as women project leaders in male-dominated environments and mentors for other women.
We will share some internal and external roadblocks women may face in their professional path and strategies to overcome them. This session is for women project leaders and, more importantly, everyone who wants to become an ally to women project leaders. Regardless of gender, if you are a project leader, you may have a woman in your team who needs your help.
How can Women in Project Management Break the Glass Ceiling?
Would you have any specific questions regarding this topic?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section so we can tailor our presentation for future sessions. We look forward to reading your comments! Saving Changes...
I cannot say that I have encountered the "glass ceiling" in project management or any other domain that is linked to me being a woman...
However, there are those "CIS male meetings" where it helps to either simply ignore certain comments or react quite clear and professional.
What I see as essential asset is to combine project management expertise with operational expertise. People appreciate someone who "has already done it" on a practical side. Having worked in local operations, local R&D - anywhere apart from HQ - helps you being authentical with your experiences and genuinely involving your team members. It also gives you credibility.
I am looking forward to your feedback on the presentation and the feedback from the audience...!
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1 reply by Yasmina Khelifi
May 10, 2025 10:07 AM
Yasmina Khelifi
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Hi Svenja, I hope you are well. our session is available online until January, 31st 2026.
Saving Changes...
Casey Holmes FeeConsultant | Writer| CHF Program ConsultingBoston, USA
Hi Yasmina,
I encountered the glass ceiling in my role, and it occurred at that "missed rung" moment of starting to accelerate in leadership roles at my company while also beginning to have a family.
Key questions I would cover are exploring the day-to-day moments where prejudice could appear and the most vulnerable moments along a wider career journey where women commonly drop back (or are pushed back by the so-called glass ceiling).
Finally, why is project/program management such a great job for women who choose to have families? What makes it conducive to work/family life? I worked in project/program management at a healthcare organization. While cultural issues presented a barrier, the job itself was highly complementary to an achievable work-life balance.
I hope this helps. Please share the presentation and/or recording when you get a chance.
- Casey
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1 reply by Yasmina Khelifi
Apr 05, 2025 4:09 AM
Yasmina Khelifi
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Casey Holmes Fee thank you for your great feedback.
unfortunately we will not be able to share the presentation because it is part of PMI Global Summit Series Europe. If you register you can access the recorded sessions (all the sessions). Let's keep discussin about the topic.
This is such an interesting topic and having read both Svenja and Casey's comments their experiences confirm to me once again that building a successful career in Project Management as a woman will depend on 3 major things:
The organization we work for: Like Casey I work at a Healthcare Organization, in my case, in the Middle East so you know it already comes with its share of cultural male dominance and acceptable behaviours such as tagging women as too passionate or emotional, to say the least. I had a GM once tell me things were less complicated when women were taking care of their men (true story ladies). However, my manager (a man) has been fundamental in my success because he has not shoulder me from it, and the times I have complaint instead of trying to subdue my annoyance has told me to face it and has had my back. Instead of protecting me as if I was fragile or a kid, he has just let me do my thing and supported me.
In short, be intentional on what truly matters when joining a company
Our willingness to get our hands dirty: As a PM we are not expected to know every detail, to be technical, to be SMEs. We drive, we structure, we align and we support. However, the best way I have found to do this and gain my team's respect is to actually do the job, ask the questions to understand before challenging and when possible taking on a different role so that I can comprehend the nature of the work being done. Like Svenja said, know operations, know the work and be willing to step out of your PM role to support your team.
Finding a champion, a sponsor or a mentor: when possible all three of them. Having a champion will help you move through the floor without even being present at times. A sponsor, will put you in rooms you may not have been for another ten years, can change the course of your career. And a mentor, should challenge you to see things a different way, find someone who will have no issues telling you where you lack skills but also lifts you up.
Financial Management Specialist | US Peace CorpsYaounde, Centre, Cameroon
Professionalism over a gender war is the most sustainable way of doing this. Results speak better, and results are not gender based
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1 reply by Francisco Matheus Chagas
Apr 21, 2025 8:59 AM
Francisco Matheus Chagas
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I completely agree! Delivering value is indeed the best way to attract the right kind of attention. This holds true even when the value comes in the form of difficult news - whether it's recommending cancellation, suggesting we stop a project, pointing out we're on the wrong path, or presenting better alternatives with less potential damage. From my perspective, having the courage to deliver honest assessments, even when uncomfortable, ultimately creates more trust and leads to better outcomes than avoiding difficult conversations.
TBH, it's significantly better than 10 years ago. There's still room for improvement, but this isn't just a project management issue—it's a broader cultural challenge. It's something we all need to work on. Saving Changes...
I encountered the glass ceiling in my role, and it occurred at that "missed rung" moment of starting to accelerate in leadership roles at my company while also beginning to have a family.
Key questions I would cover are exploring the day-to-day moments where prejudice could appear and the most vulnerable moments along a wider career journey where women commonly drop back (or are pushed back by the so-called glass ceiling).
Finally, why is project/program management such a great job for women who choose to have families? What makes it conducive to work/family life? I worked in project/program management at a healthcare organization. While cultural issues presented a barrier, the job itself was highly complementary to an achievable work-life balance.
I hope this helps. Please share the presentation and/or recording when you get a chance.
- Casey
Casey Holmes Fee thank you for your great feedback.
unfortunately we will not be able to share the presentation because it is part of PMI Global Summit Series Europe. If you register you can access the recorded sessions (all the sessions). Let's keep discussin about the topic. Saving Changes...
Amanda HarrisLeonardo DRSSpace Coast, FL, United States
This topic resonates deeply with me, and I’m thrilled to see it taking center stage at the Global Summit. As a Senior Project Manager and Transformation Leader who has spent over a decade driving change in traditionally male-dominated industries like IT, supply chain, and operations, I’ve seen firsthand how both structural and cultural barriers impact women—especially women of color—on the path to leadership.
One key question I’d love your session to explore:
How can organizations move beyond mentorship to true sponsorship of women project leaders—especially those innovating at the intersection of transformation and tech?
Also, I’m curious about how we can better equip male allies with actionable behaviors to advocate for and amplify diverse female voices in project leadership settings. I’ve led several PMO transformation initiatives where allyship made the difference between resistance and real results.
Looking forward to the insights you and Laura will share in Barcelona—this kind of dialogue is exactly what we need to shatter the ceiling, not just tap it.
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1 reply by Yasmina Khelifi
May 10, 2025 10:08 AM
Yasmina Khelifi
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Hi Amanda, thank you so much. Our session is now online in PMI events.
Thank you for your question! As already stated in my first post, I find the most effective strategies to overcome roadblocks being:
> Combining expertise of project management skills with operational expertise.
> Maintaining a clear and professional demeanor, especially in gender-biased environments.
> Hands-on approach
Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences!
Regards, Svenja
Project & PMO Manager | Research & Enterprise Mentor| GFB HoldingSouth America, Brazil
Apr 04, 2025 2:35 AM
Replying to Kwiyuh Michael Wepngong
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Professionalism over a gender war is the most sustainable way of doing this. Results speak better, and results are not gender based
I completely agree! Delivering value is indeed the best way to attract the right kind of attention. This holds true even when the value comes in the form of difficult news - whether it's recommending cancellation, suggesting we stop a project, pointing out we're on the wrong path, or presenting better alternatives with less potential damage. From my perspective, having the courage to deliver honest assessments, even when uncomfortable, ultimately creates more trust and leads to better outcomes than avoiding difficult conversations. Saving Changes...
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