Are women moving up in the workplace?

Are we making progress? Are there more women in senior decision making positions at Corporations across Canada? Well, perhaps we are seeing marginal differences in the percentages at the top two teirs but is that really the issue? Perhaps it is that we need more female role models and leaders at all levels of the organization. Do you have to be senior to lead or make an impact? As employment models are changing and flattening, there has never been a better time for leadership to be present at all corners of a company.

As employers are starting to re-think performance-based measurement, employee engagement practices and grappling over how they are going to attract top talent and fill the female pipeline, it is also a great time to be acknowledging leadership potential in different areas of the business and rethinking the leadership definition.

Having a flexible organizational mindset and flexible employment practices will improve your access to top female talent. Make it easier for women to engage with you, to stay with you, and perhaps.... to move up with you. But don't make that the only measure of success.

Women Talk About Leadership

Newsweek runs a great piece on women and leadership. In the wake of the Patricia Dunn disaster (what on earth is happening at HP?!?! the once proud company fabled for its good corporate citizenship has fallen on dark times), we needed that. I love Queen Latifah.

Katie Launches!

Katie Couric has been lauded and castigated ... but there is agreement on one thing. There's never been a primetime launch quite like her. I'm not a fan of the new news format and I think it has been appropriately castigated as news lite, but it also caters to an audience that is primarily getting its news now via the internet and needs context and depth versus an outlining of the headlines.

I hate that so much of the coverage has focused on her wardrobe and photoshopping. We ask for substance and then critique her for style? The ratings are good though ... do you think the ratings blip will last? Will the news format last? Are we setting up another female first for failure?