Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Women Can and Must Help Run the World.

• Author: Oliver, Leah
• Position: Brief Article - Book Review

Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Women Can and Must Help Run the World by Marie C. Wilson. 2004. Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson St., New York, N. Y. 10014. 190 pages. $24.95. Available online at: www. closingtheleadeship gap.com.

Marie C. Wilson, founder of the White House Project and the Ms. Foundation for Women, writes about and for women leaders in all areas, including politics, government, business and nonprofit organizations. Drawing upon the wisdom of famous female trailblazers, research from respected academic institutions and her own personal experience, Wilson brings attention to the successes and challenges facing women today.

A mother, businesswoman, former city council member and foundation head, Wilson calls herself a "social entrepreneur." The Ms. Foundation is best-known for the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work program. The White House Project's mission is to advance women's leadership in every sector, including the presidency.

Using research conducted by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers, Wilson sets the scene with a reminder that women's numbers lag in leadership positions. Most concerning for the future is the lack of women in the current "political pipeline."

Wilson says women bring special skills to larger groups, including legislatures. They tend to have "diverse viewpoints in decision making, have a broader conception of public policy and...