Sheryl Sandberg says women aren't losing ambition. Companies are pushing them out.

Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta and founder of the Lean In organization, said it's "concerning" that fewer women are interested in promotions compared to men — despite being just as motivated. Bloomberg/Getty Images Sheryl Sandberg says she's disappointed to see fewer women in corporate leadership. She said women are as ambitious as men but feel they're valued less in the workplace. She believes companies could do more to retain and encourage female leaders. More than a decade after telling women to "lean in," Sheryl Sandberg is concerned that more are leaning out — but not because they lack ambition. Sandberg, Meta's former COO and author of the 2013 bestseller "Lean In," told Business Insider that there's a gender gap when it comes to leadership ambitions in 2026. "This is not the women who are saying, 'I don't want to do it,'" Sandberg, 57, said.