Why 78% Are Quietly Wondering if It’s Time to Leave

Last week, I asked a question that sparked a flood of quiet nods and thoughtful messages:

“Have you ever quietly wondered if it’s time to leave your aviation/aerospace career?”

78% answered “Yes, more than once” or “Yes, recently.”

That number stops me.
But it doesn’t surprise me.

Not after nearly four decades in this industry, and not after countless conversations with women at every stage of their careers.

It’s the conversation many are having behind closed doors, on late-night phone calls, or in text threads with trusted friends:
“I love this work, but I’m exhausted.”
“I’m proud of what I’ve built, but is it still worth it?”
“If I leave, what am I giving up — but if I stay, what am I losing?”

To change that 78%, we have to first understand why so many are asking.

Why Women Are Quietly Questioning Their Place

1. Exhaustion from being “the only”
Being the only woman on the team, in the cockpit, in the lab, or in the executive suite is more than lonely – it is relentless.  It’s carrying the pressure of representation, balancing competence with approachability, and constantly navigating unspoken expectations.  That wears people down.

2. Slow or stalled advancement
Women often come into the industry with passion and ambition – only to hit invisible barriers.  Promotions are delayed, stretch assignments pass them by, and they’re told to “be patient” while less-experience peers leapfrog ahead.  Over time, ambition quietly turns into disengagement.

3. Bias and microaggressions
It’s the interruptions, the overlooked ideas, the assumptions about ambition, the “you’re too assertive” one day and “you need to speak up” the next.  It’s the steady drain of energy that comes from navigating workplace dynamics that most men never have to think about.

4. Lack of flexibility and sustainability
This is an industry known for intensity – but when flexibility is treated as weakness, and balance is seen as lack of commitment, people start asking: How long can I keep this up before I break?

5. Backlash and fatigue
Women – especially those in leadership or visible roles – often bear the brunt of DEI backlash.  They’re positioned as change agents but left without the tools, resources, or safety nets to weather the resistance.

6. Values misalignment
Many women reach a point where their desire for collaboration, purpose, and innovation runs into cultures built on hierarchy, competition, or outdated ways of thinking.  And when the disconnect between their values and their environment grows, the pull to leave becomes hard to ignore.

Why This Matters for the Industry

Let’s be clear:

This is not a women’s issue. This is a business issue. This is an industry survival issue.

The data is undeniable:

• Profitability: Companies with gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability (McKinsey).

• Decision-making: Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time and achieve 60% better outcomes (Cloverpop).

• Innovation: Firms with more women leaders generate more revenue from new products and services (Harvard).

• Resilience: Companies with gender-diverse leadership weather crises better, thanks to more collaborative approaches and stronger stakeholder trust.

• Engagement and retention: When women see other women rise, engagement improves, turnover drops, and the company becomes a magnet for top talent of all genders.

For aviation and aerospace – industries facing workforce shortages, digital transformation, and sustainability challenges – we can’t afford to bleed out talent.

When women rise, companies soar.
When we lower that 78%, we secure not only careers, but the future of this industry.

The Why Behind The Elevate Initiative

This is why I created The Elevate Initiative – and it’s not just about offering programs or services.  It’s about purpose.

It’s about creating a future where women in aviation and aerospace are no longer the exception, but the norm.  It’s about building an industry where no woman has to choose between leadership and authenticity, between ambition and wellbeing, between staying or leaving.

It’s about rewriting the unspoken rules of this industry:

• That women shouldn’t have to twist themselves into knots to fit a mold.

• That organizations can evolve to meet the moment, not just expect individuals to “adapt.”

• That thriving cultures aren’t built on one heroic leader, but on systems that lift everyone.

The Elevate Initiative exists to make sure that women don’t just survive in this industry – they thrive, lead, and transform it.

A Call to the Women Who Are Quietly Wondering

If you are one of the 78% - if you are lying awake at night wondering “Is it time to leave?” – here’s what I want you to know:

You are not imagining things. You are not the problem. You are not alone.

You have options.
You have power.
And you have a future that honors both your ambition and your wellbeing.

👉🏼 Schedule a call with me.
Let’s talk about where you are, what’s weighing on you, and what’s possible next.  Whether you decide to stay, pivot, or soar in an entirely new direction, you do not have to navigate this alone.

Together we can chart a path that lets you fly on your own terms – with clarity, strength,