Define: "Glass Cliff" in Business
Catastrophic fiscal burn
"If offered a surprise executive promotion to take over an infamous burning platform, negotiate an ironclad golden parachute before saying yes."
The phenomenon whereby individuals from underrepresented groups are elevated to leadership roles during periods of severe organizational crisis or distress.
What does "Glass Cliff" actually mean?
"Appointing a sacrificial executive to captain the Titanic twenty minutes after it hits the iceberg so the board has a clean scapegoat for Q4 earnings."
"Our leadership pipeline initiatives aim to avoid glass cliff dynamics during critical enterprise restructuring."
"Handing Sarah the legacy cloud platform after three failed overhauls is a textbook glass cliff designed to protect senior leadership."
By The Chief Waste Officer
18 years in the corporate trenches quantifying waste so you don't have to.
Related Terminology
Tired of hearing this?
Next time someone says "Glass Cliff" in a meeting, track exactly how much company money they just wasted. Play Buzzword Bingo, generate a waste invoice, and stop the bleeding.
