Tips from Wildly Successful Women

Maria Contreras-Sweet, Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, the first Latina in a California Governor's cabinet, Leslie Margolin, a Senior Vice President for Kaiser Permanente and Melba Muscarolas, Regional President, Los Angeles for Pacific Bell discussed success, and what it really takes for a woman to make it to the top.

* Learn the corporate culture.
Understand the company and its politics. Know the fundamentals of the company. Do not let the corporation stifle you. If there is something you do not understand, ask questions. Remember, the only dumb question is the one you do not ask.

* Keep your eyes open.
Be observant, watch and listen. Learn from those you respect as well as those you do not. It is not just position or job title, but what women do with it.

* Work hard.
The stories of women working twice as hard as men to get to the same position is still true. Try to do more than the job description requires. Unfortunately, many times women are still assumed to be incompetent while the opposite is true for men. Reality is, they must work harder and put in longer hours than their male counterparts to advance in management.

* Attend to the home front.
Strong family, spouse or significant other support is critical. Advancement in the corporate world may necessitate moving to a new location every few years. Balancing work and family is a challenge that affects women more than men.

* Collect experience.
Do not hesitate to take different positions within the corporation, even if they are lateral moves. The more you know about the company, the more valuable you are.

To read the rest of Deborah Prussel's article, "From Wildly Successful Women:
How to Make It in Management," please click here.