There is something profoundly unsettling about the fact that so many people have felt compelled to share stories of how their lives and careers were negatively impacted by leadership on Wall Street that an entire platform now exists to document those experiences.
Bravo to women who created this platform! Bravo!
More than 400 stories have been shared, many of them involving Citi. And yet, if we are honest, 400 stories are likely only the visible tip of a much larger iceberg.
So when I saw that Jane Fraser had been named American Banker’s #1 “Most Powerful Woman in Banking” for the sixth consecutive year, I paused.
Powerful by what measure?
Because power is not simply about influence, position, access, compensation, or a prestigious place on a list. Power is also the responsibility to use that influence when the people within your organization are telling you something is very wrong.
And that led me to some uncomfortable questions.
How does a woman celebrated for her power reconcile that recognition with accounts from women within her own organization who say they have experienced harassment, bullying, discrimination, humiliation, intimidation, or treatment they considered deeply unfair?
If she had a daughter working in that environment, would she be comfortable telling her, “This is the culture I am proud to lead”?
Would she tell her daughter to speak up?
Would she tell her to stay?
Would she tell her that her concerns would be heard, investigated, and taken seriously?
Or would she tell her to simply endure it?
Because silence from the top is not neutral. Silence has consequences.
When leaders know—or have reason to know—that serious concerns exist and choose not to confront them publicly and decisively, the message employees receive can be more powerful than any corporate statement or employee-engagement survey.
It says: This is acceptable.
It says: This is the price of staying.
And it says: The people with power are protected more than the people without it.
I don’t believe leadership should be measured by how many awards sit on a shelf. I believe it should be measured by what happens to the people who work beneath you.
Who gets protected?
Who gets heard?
Who gets believed?
Who gets held accountable?
And who is sacrificed to preserve the appearance of a “healthy” culture?
If you are powerful enough to be recognized among the most powerful women in the world, then you are powerful enough to demand answers.
Power should not merely be celebrated.
It should be exercised—with courage, accountability, and responsibility.
So I keep coming back to one question:
If you know, when will you act?
Because eventually, silence stops looking like neutrality.
It starts looking like a choice.