Looking to build the next generation leadership team? The candidates that will surface will more likely be men than women. And after that major gender divider, those who identify as LGBT may represent your best candidate pool.
According to a Careerbuilder survey of some 3,625 people, just 34 percent said they wanted to ascend to a leadership role sometime during their careers, and only 7 percent aspired to the corner office. Male and LGBT respondents reported the highest percentage of leadership yearning.
When asked if they aspired to a leadership role at work, here's the breakdown from the survey:
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Overall average: 34 percent
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Men: 40 percent
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Women: 29 percent
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LGBT: 44 percent
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African Americans: 39 percent
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Hispanics: 35 percent
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Disabled workers: 32 percent
When those who did not want a leadership role were asked to cite reasons for this lack of ambition, 52 percent said they were satisfied with their current roles at work and another 34 percent said they didn't want to risk work-life balance for the added responsibilities and compensation of a management position. A smaller number (17 percent) said they didn't meet the educational requirements of a boss.
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Many felt that, even if they aspired to a leadership role, they would hit the "glass ceiling."
One in five respondents said they thought their company had such a barrier with respect to female and minority employees. When those from specific demographic groups who said they wanted to become managers were asked about the glass ceiling, the perception increased. Here are the responses to the question about whether a glass ceiling existed at the respondent's workplace:
- Overall among those who aspire to leadership roles: 24 percent
- Workers with disabilities: 59 percent
- African Americans: 50 percent
- Hispanics: 34 percent
- LGBT: 21 percent
- Straight, white males: 9 percent
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
