“I’m surprised you didn’t apply. You would have been great.” These were the heartbreaking words I heard from my boss seven years ago.

I had just sat on a hiring panel for a position I had been doing for the last eight months and we had just selected who we would be making an offer to. It was a significant promotion, the next step in my city management career, and a position I wanted immensely. But I did not apply. The position had years of experience I did not meet, and even when the first recruitment fell through, and I started hinting that I was interested, there was no conversation, and it was reposted with the same requirements. I saw this as an indication that my boss simply wanted something different and resigned myself to sitting at the other side of the table to ensure we selected someone amazing.

It would be four years before I realized my experience was not abnormal. Across the board, women are less likely to advocate for themselves in their careers and less likely than their male counterparts to apply for positions where they do not meet all the requirements. This phenomenon is not new and over the last few decades the “fix” has largely been rooted in teaching women to have more confidence, to let go of perfectionism, and to open themselves to more risk. While this is certainly meaningful dialogue that should occur, it misses the persistent workplace dynamics that also contribute.

A 2023 study published in the British Journal of Social Psychology, outlined how workplace culture perpetuates this experience. ¹ Risk aversion and lack of advocacy are dependent on women’s professional experiences. If leaders in their organizations are not actively seeking their advice and input, women are more likely to experience imposter syndrome. While there were no differences found in willingness to take initial risks by men and women, men were far more likely to report positive responses to their risk-taking than their female counterparts, and thus were more willing to take further risks to advance their careers.

ICMA founded its Task Force on Women in the Profession back in 1974, when only one percent of chief administrative officers (CAO) were women, and while tremendous growth has happened in that time, at 23% of CAOs worldwide, women are still disproportionately represented in this top position. While certainly there are many reasons this number remains low, given my personal experience and the emerging research into workplace gender inequality, I cannot help but wonder if things would be different if we all just made it a point to speak up.

That day seven years ago transformed my leadership approach. I am conscious about speaking up. I actively solicit input from my employees and provide them with regular coaching. I make it a point to discuss growth opportunities with them, including letting them know when I believe they are ready to advance, even if they do not yet see it.

I also teach them to advocate for themselves, letting them know that not every boss will initiate or be receptive to these discussions, but that does not make these discussions any less valuable or important. I teach them to assess not only themselves but also their organizations, and while they should learn whatever they can from every boss, they should seek managers that advocate for them.

If we truly want to develop our next generation of CAOs, particularly female CAOs, it is essential that we recognize that our organizations must commit to supporting these emerging managers with the same vigor that they support our communities.

KAYLA BARBER-PERROTTA is deputy city manager of Albany, Oregon, USA. She helped found the award-winning Brighton Performance and Leadership Academy. She is a 2020 ELGL Traeger Award winner and a 2024 ELGL Top Local Government Influencer. Kayla is also an active contributor to the ELGL Morning Buzz series and writes organizational culture and leadership content on LinkedIn .