In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Erica Anderson Rooney, C-suite executive, former Chief People Officer, founder of Her Collective, and best-selling author of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors.

The statistics are sobering: at the current rate, it will take 132 years to close the gender pay gap. Women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles, and workplace gender equity continues to lag. Beyond systemic barriers, many high-achieving women face a confidence gap, leadership gap, and deeply internalized limiting beliefs.

Erica Rooney introduces the concept of "sticky floors" — the internal narratives that keep women stuck beneath the glass ceiling. These include imposter syndrome, perfectionism, burnout, fear of asking for help, alcohol dependency as a stress response, and even internalized beauty standards such as "pretty privilege."

Drawing from her experience as a C-level executive and working mother, Rooney shares how she built her career by breaking through internal glass ceilings while navigating real corporate leadership challenges. She explains her SNAP Method — a practical leadership framework to interrupt limiting beliefs and reclaim agency:

• Stop and Notice
• Name the Sticky Floor
• Ask and Answer
• Pivot

If you are a woman in corporate leadership, navigating workplace bias, battling imposter syndrome, or striving for executive advancement, this episode offers practical tools for career growth, confidence-building, and strategic leadership development. While we may not dismantle systemic barriers overnight, we can learn to win the game and ultimately change it together.

Connect with Erica:

ericaandersonrooney.com

Connect with Cynthia:

dr-cynthia.com