Job Search, Promotion, and Career Clarity: The Mid-Career GPS Podcast 296: Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors with Erica Rooney
What’s Really Holding You Back in Your Career?
Ever feel like you’re doing all the right things in your career, but still not moving forward? While it's easy to blame external forces, leadership expert and former Chief People Officer Erica Rooney believes the real barriers may lie much closer to home.
In this powerful episode, Erica introduces the concept of “sticky floors,” which are the internalized beliefs and self-sabotaging behaviors that keep high-potential professionals stuck. Sharing a deeply personal story of betrayal by a trusted colleague, Erica walks us through how a moment of disillusionment sparked her professional transformation. She realized she couldn’t control others’ integrity, but she could control how she showed up, responded, and grew.
Erica also shares her SNAP method (Stop, Name it, Ask Questions, Pivot), a practical, science-backed framework for identifying and overcoming hidden patterns that limit progress. Along the way, Erica shares her powerful insights on workplace allyship, including what men can do right now to support women colleagues better.
Key Takeaways:
- Erica’s turning point: when a respected colleague took credit for her idea
- The difference between glass ceilings (external) and sticky floors (internal)
- How the SNAP method helps professionals shift from stuck to strategic
- The power of the word “yet” to reframe capability and growth
- Common sticky floors: perfectionism, fear of failure, and self-doubt
- How men can be better allies to women in the workplace
- Why strong manager relationships are key to promotion and visibility
- You’re not stuck—you just haven’t moved yet
Connect with Erica Rooney
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