glass cliff

American

[glas klif] / ˈglæs ˈklɪf /

noun

a situation in which a woman or minority has advanced professionally at a time when adverse circumstances or crises make it more likely for the person to fail at the job.

Hired to boost sagging morale, the CEO is facing the edge of a glass cliff.

Usage

What does glass cliff mean? The glass cliff is a metaphor for putting women and other minorities into leadership positions during times of crisis. It suggests they are getting set up to fail, as if getting pushed over a cliff.

Etymology

Origin of glass cliff

Coined in 2004 by Michelle K. Ryan ( 1948– ) and S. Alexander Haslan ( 1962– ), British psychologists, on the model of glass ceiling ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But to many, Ley's glass ceiling looked an awful lot like a "glass cliff", and it felt like it was only a matter of time before she lost her grip and slipped off it.

From BBC

The glass cliff describes a phenomenon where women and other minorities are promoted to leadership roles during times of crisis, setting them up for a high risk of failure.

From BBC

"There was just crisis on every front… it's classic glass cliff," says Michelle Ryan, Director of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership and one of the researchers who coined the term.

From BBC

Some critics say the idea of a glass cliff itself is offensive, that it diminishes women's achievements and assumes they can't successfully lead out of a crisis, when in fact many in the community feel women fare better in them.

From BBC

The glass cliff phenomenon doesn't paint the true picture of Ley's tenure though, says Niki Savva, a veteran political commentator and former Liberal Party advisor.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023