Power, Ambition, Money, Failure: The 21st Century Taboos

With women entering the workforce in numbers equal to or surpassing men, one would think that they are poised to become professional powerhouses. This is not the case. Women hit a plateau when it comes to leadership positions, holding on average just 18% of the leadership positions in nearly all industries, from 16% in film and TV to 18% in law and 21% in non-profits, according to the White House Project's November 2009 report. In some areas, such as the military and Fortune 500 CEOs, the numbers are much lower. Women of color fare even worse: Of the 15.7% of corporate officer positions in Fortune 500 companies that are held by women, just 1.7% are held by women of color.

Just recently, a GAO report revealed even more sobering news for anyone who follows women's leadership, finding that women made almost no progress in moving into management positions from 2000 to 2007, the latest year that figures are available.

The numbers are especially troubling given that women are now earning the majority of doctoral degrees awarded in the U.S., and women are enrolling in colleges and universities and graduating from all types of programs in numbers that are equal to, or more than, men.