Research question/Issue: We examine whether the lack of gender diversity in the boardroom is due to the ‘glass ceiling’ effect or a lack of women’s director skills. Research Findings/Insights: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 41 female directors of Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed companies in 2024. Women directors overwhelmingly reported encountering the ‘glass ceiling’ in their quest for board leadership positions. We also find evidence of a skill/competency gap that hinders women’s progression to the boardroom. Theoretical/Academic Implications: We invoke the ‘glass ceiling’ hypothesis to explain why women face challenges and often struggle to attain board roles. In particular, we provide an in-depth narrative of what women experience in the boardroom. Then, by applying the resource dependency theory, we show how successful female directors have broken the ‘glass ceiling’ by leveraging distinct skills. Practitioner/Policy Implications: Our results have important implications for aspiring directors in shaping their careers. Female managers can learn from our findings about which skills they need to enhance to be in the pipeline for director roles. Our findings also have implications for policymakers, stakeholders, and corporations in promoting gender diversity in corporate leadership roles.