How the Visibility Debt Holds Women Back at Work

Women at Work: Career, Leadership & Modern Work · Jun 8, 2026 · 7m · transcript

Lucas and Luna explore the concept of the 'visibility debt' — the tendency for women to hesitate before volunteering for high-stakes projects. They anchor the discussion in a 2024 McKinsey report showing that women apply for promotions only when they meet 100% of qualifications, while men apply at 60%. Lucas shares a specific case from a Fortune 500 tech firm where a 'fast-track' program doubled women's participation by using a nomination-based system. Luna brings in data from a Harvard Business Review study on how visibility debt compounds over a career, costing women an estimated 15% in…