The quickest path to relevance is to identify key business or HR metrics that you want to impact (for example, numbers of women in executive positions or growth in the women's market) and then design the activities and efforts of your initiative, network or affinity group to drive that impact.

For example, Best Buy used its women's initiative to redesign the electronics section of their stores to make them more women-friendly. At Pfizer, the women's network focused on leadership development to make it visible as a partner in talent management.

Join the discussion: What are your successes in aligning your efforts to key metrics? Where do you run into problems?

In these turbulent times, leadership succession for your internal women's network, affinity group or initiative might be more challenging than ever.  What challenges are you facing with leadership succession? What are you doing to ensure smooth succession?

Because leadership differs by level, women who aspire to move up have to learn what leadership means at higher levels, e.g. what's on the mind of  senior managers, how are decisions made at higher levels and why and what strategic relationships are they building?

Men often gain this exposure through mentors. Some women are also lucky enough to have mentors give them a glimpse of the view from the top, but many aren't. That's why women's initiatives, networks and affinity groups are so important. By engaging the most senior women (and men) in presenting their view from the top, they fill a gap in what women need to succeed.

How have you successfully engaged senior women in the activities sponsored by your women's internal network or initiative? Join the discussion - share your success stories and challenges.

Smart companies are using a host of what might be called flexible work arrangements or contemporary work arrangements to attract and retain talent and manage work assignments. We think of this as re-imagining work. Options include:

• Flexible work hours: people set their hours, starting and ending at times that suit them...clients and the national/global marketplace.
• Job sharing: two people sharing a single job. Often one working Mon - Wed, the other Wed - Fri to ensure the quality of handoffs and coordination.
• Compressed work weeks: employees might work 4 10-hour days or 3 12-hour days depending on the normal work schedule.
• Telecommuting: enabling employees to work from remote sites - including home. Pajamas, anyone?
• Flex schedules: the optimal in flexibility - might combine flexible work hours, compressed work weeks and telecommuting.
• Part- or reduced-time: the traditional reduced work week for reduced compensation.
• Adjuct programs: part-time contracted work, for example, to help women manage their career arcs of high ambition and scaling back for other commitments.

Which, if any, of these (or others) is your organization using or contemplating?

Reflections on Breakthrough

Later this month, I'm delivering a workshop on "Becoming a Breakthrough Woman." It focuses on what it takes to "break through" to higher levels - particularly my assertion that women face not a glass ceiling, but a semi-permeable membrane.

But the concept of "breakthrough" also raises thoughts of making personal breakthroughs. We're just beyond the start of the New Year and next month is Woman's History Month. In that context, here's a question to plant in your mind:

What personal breakthrough would help me achieve my goals (and make a bit of personal history)?

Personally, a breakthrough I'm working on is moving from "a best kept secret" to more public promotion of Leading Women and the valuable resources we bring to women. The more women we are able to reach, the greater the impact on personal lives and organizational landscape. What's your breakthrough? I'd love to hear.