Every time I read a report about women in business like the one that came out last week from McKinsey and Lean In, it occurs to me that women need to take their advancement into their own hands.

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That means generating multiple options that will provide them with choices. That means owning their leadership and skill development as well as building relationships that will create opportunities.

Some work environments are better than others. Companies have great intentions and are trying to figure out how to make it fairer for women, yet in many cases change is happening quite slowly. We see it across industries and over time. I know from being on the inside just how complex it is to transform dynamics that have been in place.

Partnering with your company to build a career you love is ideal, and the more active your engagement in driving your path, the better you will fare.

In my upcoming free masterclass, I’ll lay out a three-pronged approach...

Strengthening your ability to request and graciously receive direct feedback to build your awareness of your strengths and weaknesses will serve you well as you work to expand your career possibilities. The key is to have an open and honest dialogue with your manager and other stakeholders to ensure clarity about how you are perceived.

I interviewed a variety of Financial Services executives and HR colleagues about how and why people do or do not get promoted to more senior levels. Some of the perspectives they offered behind closed doors might seem a bit harsh. The good news is that by providing transparency about the tough reality, they help us to take actions to navigate the scene with aplomb.

In seeking examples of those who sailed through the system well and those who did not, there were many mentions of promising performers who were passed over for promotion and didn’t know why.

“...was behind others -- has never been given feedback to understand why...