Climbing Walls, Not Ladders
Why tomorrow’s leaders need a stronger handhold today
The traditional career ladder is an outdated metaphor for professional growth.
Today’s leaders climb walls – with sideways moves, leaps of faith, and uncertain holds. Our new research reveals why women, caregivers, and early-career professionals face the steepest climb, and how belonging, mentorship, and leadership access can create the secure holds that keep tomorrow’s leaders moving upward.
Climbing Walls, Not Ladders
Why tomorrow’s leaders need a stronger handhold today
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The upward career trajectory is now more like a climbing wall.
Unlike a ladder, which relies mainly on upward movement, navigating a climbing wall requires a mix of vertical, horizontal, and sometimes even downward shifts to find the best path forward. Ultimately, the climb to leadership requires navigating the fast pace of change, barriers to progression, and life’s evolving responsibilities with tenacity, uncertain holds, and leaps of faith along the way.
New research from Talking Talent and psychologists at the OERG department at Minnesota State University shows that while there are challenges for all, the climb can be more precarious for certain professionals – especially women, caregivers, and early career professionals. Although these groups may comprise organizations’ most promising talent, they face numerous decisive moments when their careers can be derailed, and advancement can be blocked.
Who this research paper is for
This paper is for leaders who are asking:
Senior HR and Talent leaders rethinking what progression looks like in a changing world of work.
This paper is for organisations that want to build more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready leadership pipelines – especially where talented professionals may be navigating career transitions, caregiving responsibilities, confidence barriers, or unclear routes to advancement.
It offers evidence-led insight into how progression is experienced today, and where employers can provide stronger handholds.
This paper may be less relevant if:
This is not a conventional career-ladder report.
If you are looking for a simple promotion checklist, this may not be the right resource. The research explores the more complex reality of leadership progression today: nonlinear career paths, pivotal moments, and the organisational conditions that help talent keep climbing.
It is best suited to leaders ready to question inherited models of advancement and design more realistic support for tomorrow’s leaders.
2 x
Untapped ambition55 %
Future leaders177 %
Belonging
Turn research insight into leadership action
Understanding the barriers is only the first step. The next is designing the support, culture, and leadership conditions that help talented people keep progressing.
Talking Talent helps organisations strengthen belonging, confidence, and career momentum at the moments that matter most.
Ready to build stronger handholds for tomorrow’s leaders?
What is Climbing Walls, Not Ladders about?
Climbing Walls, Not Ladders is a research paper from Talking Talent exploring why modern career progression no longer follows a simple, linear path. The paper examines how professionals now navigate a more complex “climbing wall” of upward, sideways, and sometimes downward moves as they build their careers and progress towards leadership.
It focuses on the role of belonging, ambition, career confidence, and organisational support in helping future leaders keep moving forward.
Why is the traditional career ladder model outdated?
The traditional career ladder assumes that career progression is mostly vertical, predictable, and based on a clear sequence of promotions. For many professionals today, that model no longer reflects reality.
Modern careers are shaped by organisational change, caregiving responsibilities, career breaks, confidence barriers, hybrid work, shifting priorities, and nonlinear development opportunities. A climbing wall is a more accurate metaphor because it reflects the different routes people take to reach leadership.
How can organisations strengthen their leadership pipeline?
Organisations can strengthen their leadership pipeline by creating clearer, more inclusive routes to progression. This includes improving access to coaching, sponsorship, manager support, flexible career pathways, inclusive leadership development, and a stronger sense of belonging.
A resilient leadership pipeline depends not only on identifying ambitious talent, but on building the conditions that help that talent continue to progress.
How does coaching support career progression?
Coaching can support career progression by helping employees navigate pivotal career moments with greater confidence, clarity, and resilience. It can help individuals explore ambition, manage transitions, build leadership capability, and stay engaged through periods of uncertainty.
For organisations, coaching can act as a practical intervention that strengthens retention, progression, and future leadership readiness.
