Break on through to the other side.

• Author: Milazzo, Vickie L.
• Position: Business & Finance - Women in the workplace

CORPORATIONS that insist on maintaining a good old boy network are making (and keeping) themselves stupid. You probably are thinking that is an extremely inflammatory statement, especially considering many of those same organizations are amongst the most profitable in the world. Yet, consider this: a Harvard Business Review study found that adding more women to a group increased the collective intelligence of that group. Adding more men? No increase in intelligence. It is time for women to rescue the traditionally male-dominated business world from itself.

There is a legendary story that, as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Carly Fiorina (now former CEO of HP) stuffed her pants with socks for a male-dominated meeting. Her message was clear: I have everything it takes to compete. Today, the need to play down femininity is a thing of the past In fact, following the financial crisis, many felt that a "Femron" or Lehman "Sisters" would not have failed, and even some men say too much testosterone led us into the recession. Every corporation can benefit from a touch of estrogen and the feminine qualities associated with it. The almost constant changes to the way we communicate, interact, innovate, and do business are setting up an opportunity-filled future for women--no socks required.

Women absolutely should take advantage of the changing tide. No wickedly successful woman ever got anywhere waiting for her big chance to be given to her or for women suddenly to become as valued as men in the workplace--and that is not going to change anytime soon. However, it also is true that a growing appreciation for collaboration, participation, and relationship-building have created a perfect storm for women who want to rise through the ranks.

Here is what an aspiring woman can do to take over the C-Suite at her organization:

Do not act like a man. It is undeniable that the more masculine command-and-control way of doing business is on its way out. Increasingly, corporations are coming to value more feminine qualities, including engagement, collaboration, and an appreciation for the greater good. Be yourself. No one--men and women included--wants to work with a bad imitation of a man, and no successful woman ever got anywhere waiting for women's equality in the workplace to "happen." Instead, use your innate qualities to shape and fuel your success.

Collaborate. Intelligent women know what they do not know and when to seek answers. Smart women appreciate that what...