Rebecca Shambaugh
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By Liz O'Connor
Senior, Communication

Nationally known leadership strategist and department alumna Rebecca Shambaugh returned to campus this semester to tell women how to advance their careers.

In her lecture and her recent book, "It's Not a Glass Ceiling, It's A Sticky Floor," she tells women how to make it happen.

The event was sponsored by the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence and the College of Liberal Arts. Shambaugh also had a meet and greet with department faculty and students.

 "We are delighted to be able to showcase one of our own success stories," said department Professor and Associate Provost Beverly Davenport Sypher.

From the time she graduated from Purdue in 1978, through her career experiences, starting her own company and consulting, she has seen the business landscape change dramatically.

"I have never seen so many opportunities and choices for women," Shambaugh said. "The time for women is now."

Even with all these opportunities, women represent only 15 percent of executive officers in Fortune 500 companies and only 6.4 percent of top earners, according to Shambaugh.

Shambaugh said women are not underrepresented in CEO and top earning positions due entirely to glass ceilings.

Acknowledging that external factors such as stereotypes and "boys' clubs" do persist, she believes that at least 50 percent of what holds women back are self limiting behaviors, which she calls "sticky floors."    

Some examples of sticky floors include striving for perfection, staying in one place for too long, and not asking for what you want.

A mainly female audience listened intently as Shambaugh laid out the seven sticky floors and gave practical tips on how to overcome the self-limiting behaviors.

Following her talk, the audience raised question after question, ranging from, "How can college students get over their fear of nothing to offer while networking?" to, "Why don't more businesses treat their employees as their No. 1 assets?"