Forces are coming together from many directions with the need and goal that women have equal footing in the business world, the political world, and the world as a whole.  The reasons this is resonating so well in the business world  are many.  The forces include:

• Women earn the majority of college and graduate degrees making them the knowledge workforce of today and the future.  Companies need to figure out how to keep women engaged and moving to the C-Suite or some Fortune 500s will find themselves getting smaller instead of growing.
• The first Baby Boomers hit retirement age three years ago.  Regardless how their retirements look compared to the past, new leaders are needed to replace the white grey haired men who have been the traditional leaders of that generation.  Please note bullet number 1.  Women are needed to fill that gap.
• Women are the primary or sole breadwinner in 40% of households with children while only 20% of households with children have stay-at-home mums.  As President Obama stated we can’t think like Mad Men days anymore.
• Sheryl Sandburg hit a cord with Lean In.
• Boston decided to be the first city with Equal Pay focusing on 100% Talent.
• Marie Shriver with the help of Beyonce and others highlight the need for changing perspectives for women, the nation, and the next generation in the Shriver Report on Women Pushing Back from the Brink
• Organizations like 2020 Women on Board are working towards larger female representation of women on the nation’s corporate boards.

One new force that is bringing many together is Take the Lead, a organization co-founded this year by Gloria Feldt, a leader in women rights.  Take the Lead is having it’s Launch Event on February 19th in Arizona and Sheryl Sandburg will be there along with many other female leaders.    There is a live and free video stream of the event for those of us not in Arizona.  This is an event I’m looking forward to.  I hope you will join me in watching.