Women face their biggest hurdle to becoming leaders at the very first step up the corporate ladder. Known as the “broken rung,” it prevents women from reaching even the most entry-level management roles. Even worse, it disproportionately affects multicultural women. In a special three-part series, we tackle how managers, employees and organizations can fix the broken rung by breaking the rules. In this first episode, we talk directly to leaders on how they can uplift multicultural women early in their careers when they’re most likely to encounter the broken rung as well as seasoned professionals who have been overlooked as a consequence of the broken rung.We offer practical actionable steps for managers to support their best talent before they burn out and quit. Whether you’re a leader or working on advancing your career, this episode is for you!Stay tuned for the next episode in our series, where we’ll address multicultural women employees and how they can break the rules to fix the broken rung. Episode Highlights:What is the broken rung?The consequences of the broken rung for multicultural women Taking a stand against microaggressions and unconscious biasSponsoring multicultural womenBuilding relationships to fix the broken rungResearch Mentioned:2022 Women in the Workplace by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.orgDiversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters (2020) by McKinsey & CompanyRepairing the Broken Rung on the Career Ladder for Women in Technical Roles (2022) by McKinsey & CompanyThe P.I.E. Theory of Success: Performance, Image, Exposure by Arrowhead Consulting Half of U.S. Workforce Suffers Panic Attacks and Depression Due to Money Worries, New Survey Finds (2019)  by Salary Finance2019 Women in the Workplace by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org2023 Mental Health at Work: Managers and Money by The Workforce Institute at UKG Connect with us on our social media: Instagram and LinkedInJoin our LinkedIn community where we discuss rule-breaking strategies for multicultural women.More from Alisa Manjarrez: Instagram and LinkedInMore from Courtney Copelin: