Origins
Ryan and Haslam noticed women joined UK boards after share prices fell. Ryan and Haslam (2007) theorised this as precarious positions beyond the glass ceiling.
Explanations
In experiments, people rated women more suitable for failing firms (Haslam & Ryan, 2008). Bruckmüller and Branscombe (2010) linked it to a desire for change, and social role expectations also matter.
Evidence and debate
Cook and Glass (2014) found women and minority CEOs promoted after weak performance. A meta-analysis by Morgenroth and colleagues (2020) found a real but context-dependent effect, linked to debates on gender quotas and tokenism.
FAQ
- What is the glass cliff in simple terms?
- Women are more often chosen to lead in crisis, so they risk taking the blame for failure.
- How is it different from the glass ceiling?
- The ceiling blocks promotion; the cliff places those promoted in risky roles.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Ryan, M. K., & Haslam, S. A. (2007). The glass cliff: Exploring the dynamics surrounding the appointment of women to precarious leadership positions. Academy of Management Review, 32(2), 549–572. The key theoretical statement of the glass cliff.
- Haslam, S. A., & Ryan, M. K. (2008). The road to the glass cliff: Differences in the perceived suitability of men and women for leadership positions in succeeding and failing organizations. The Leadership Quarterly, 19(5), 530–546. Experimental evidence on leader selection in crisis.
- Bruckmüller, S., & Branscombe, N. R. (2010). The glass cliff: When and why women are selected as leaders in crisis contexts. British Journal of Social Psychology, 49(3), 433–451. Why crisis prompts the selection of women.
- Cook, A., & Glass, C. (2014). Above the glass ceiling: When are women and racial/ethnic minorities promoted to CEO? Strategic Management Journal, 35(7), 1080–1089. Evidence from US CEO promotions.
- Ryan, M. K., Haslam, S. A., Morgenroth, T., Rink, F., Stoker, J., & Peters, K. (2016). Getting on top of the glass cliff: Reviewing a decade of evidence, explanations, and impact. The Leadership Quarterly, 27(3), 446–455. A decade-long review.
- Morgenroth, T., Kirby, T. A., Ryan, M. K., & Sudkämper, A. (2020). The who, when, and why of the glass cliff phenomenon: A meta-analysis of appointments to precarious leadership positions. Psychological Bulletin, 146(9), 797–829. A meta-analysis of the effect.
- Eagly, A. H., & Karau, S. J. (2002). Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. Psychological Review, 109(3), 573–598. Role congruity theory behind the bias.