Anne Stevens, one of the few auto industry executives ever named to Fortune Magazine's prestigious "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" list, took time to talk with an old friend (me!) recently about one of our shared passions: women and leadership.
Now CEO of Carpenter Technology, a manufacturer of specialized alloys for manufacturing, Anne is as discouraged as I am about the growing evidence that women achievers are not only idling in place, but slipping. If you don't believe it, start with Catalyst's latest reports. American women, for all of our progress are under-achievers when it comes to seats at the heads of decision-making tables. In ten major work sectors, including politics, business, journalism, law, entertainment, women average no more than 18% representation in leadership positions.
The question I put to Anne is: When women are 51% of the population, earning six out of ten college, law and medical degrees, and -- as of February -- outnumber men in the U.S. workforce, why are they so under-represented at "The Top"?
Anne always had a "tell it like it is" style when she and I worked together at Ford Motor Company. She hasn't changed a bit. Click here to listen.
