With our presidential election less than one year away and our nation dismayed with the leadership deadlock in Washington, D.C. the drumbeat is growing for a Hillary Clinton presidency.  I don't expect it to happen, but when the Wall Street Journal publishes a major Op Ed advocating her election, you know we've come a long way toward being ready to elect our first woman president.  Click here for the WSJ commentary.

Great to see Michelle Obama stepping up again after three years keeping a low profile. White House strategist David Alelrod told the New York Times, "Her mission is to energize folks and give them encouragement to go out and do the work." Now that's leadership! And a skill that tends to be a natural strength of women. Power On, Michelle!  Great piece in today's NY Times.

Does the latest "sex, lies and politics" mess remind you of the all-too-similar, Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill  scandal that rocked our national consciousness 20 years ago? It does me. But Americans take workplace sexual harassment a lot more serious today than we did in 1991, thanks, in part to the courage of a 35-year-old lawyer to speak truth to power. What does Anita Hill think of the Cain conundrum?

 I had a chance to hear Hill's thoughts on the Cain conundrum during her recent visit to Detroit. Here's my column on the topic for Forbeswoman.

I've just started watching the bold, powerful PBS 5-part series, WOMEN, WAR & PEACE.   It is airing every Tuesday night through Nov. 8th -- 10 p.m. EST in Detroit, check your local listings.   It challenges the conventional wisdom that war and peace are the domain of men, brings you up close to the impact of war on women and girls in Bosnia, Liberia, Afghanistan, Columbia -- and how they are standing up and Powering UP!  to not just survive as victims but to lead the way to new solutions to one of the world's oldest horrors.  

Here's the trailer and more:  Women, War & Peace.

Saudi Arabia King Abdullah surprised everyone when he announced last week that Saudi women will be allowed to vote and run for office -- for the first time in history -- in the upcoming 2015 municipal elections.  It's a small step in a country where women need permission of a male relative -- husband, father, uncle, brother, even a son! -- in order to leave the country.  But Saudi women are rejoicing over this first step.  Here's a fascinating and RARE interview with a Saudi Princess who is openly advocating for more rights for women -- beginning with the right to drive.  Listen.   

Forbeswoman, a great source of fresh news and commentary on women, work and gender hot topics, has invited me to become a contributing columnist on leadership.  My column is called Powering Up Women.  I'll be writing about the next big challenge for women: opening the leadership locker rooms.  here's my first national Forbeswoman column.

About a year ago, Princeton University President Shirley Tilghman ordered a study of why the cream-of-the-crop female students admitted to this prestigious university lag their male peers in aspiring to and achieving student leadership roles.  This is exactly the challenge I tackle in my new book, Powering Up! How America's Women Achievers Become Leaders.

The results of the study, which was just released, paint an alarming picture about what's happening with the next generation of educated, skilled women. 

The paths to achievement that they have encountered so far were paved decades ago, so they have never leared how to fight for opportunity.  And the conundrum of balancing "being an attractive female" with a person with power appears to be as complex as ever.  Here's a summary of the findings and a link to the full Princeton report. 

Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus hits the bullseye with her column today lamenting the lack of women leaders in public office.  Even younger women aren't running.  The discouraging facts that Marcus cites about how women are slipping in political leadership positions are why one of the themes of my book, Powering Up!, is that American women are Leadership Underachievers.  We've been stalled for well over a decade.  If you don't believe me, here's Marcus column. 

Earlier this month, business consultant and former NAWBO California president Patty DeDominic, co-founder of the California Women's Festival invited me to be the opening speaker for her fantastic, annual, Santa Barbara gathering of over 1,000 women.  While I was there, she also insisted that I let photographer Deb Halberstadt videotape and producer a short video of me introducing my just-published book,Powering Up!   Deb and Rich Tamayo of TVP Studios did a beautiful job.  Here's my "elevator speech" on how Powering Up! will help you answer the call to leadership. 

John McElroy, host of Autoline Detroit, the most-watched TV show for automotive insiders, and one of the most respected journalists covering the indsutry, invited me to his studios recently for a new series he's starting.  He's asking senior women in the industry to share the insights they learned from one of their most important professional "Aha Moments."  Mine is about dealing with workplace enemies.