Kweilin Ellingrud, McKinsey’s Global Chief of Diversity and Inclusion, joins us to discuss The Broken Rung—the missed first promotion that derails many women's careers before they even begin. She shares how to build “experience capital,” why soft skills matter more than we think, and how the right first moves can lead to long-term equity and empowerment. With practical advice for women and leaders alike, this episode is a call to action to fix the ladder from the bottom up.

[0:00] Intro and Speed Round with Kweilin Ellingrud

[5:39] What is the “Broken Rung”?

[12:00] Strategies for Overcoming the Broken Rung

[20:36] Building Skills to Future-Proof Careers

[30:39] Addressing Biases and Cognitive Biases

[35:47] Personal Health and Financial Well-being

[41:10] Desert Island Music

[43:19] Grooving Session - Networking, Bias, and Building Experience Capital

©2025 Behavioral Grooves

The Broken Rung - by Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and Mareia del Mar Martinez

More About Kweilin

Join the Behavioral Grooves community

Subscribe to Behavioral Grooves on YouTube

Shakira - La Tortura

Ed Sheeran - Shape of You