( CNN ) -- I 've spent the bulk of my career climbing the so-called corporate ladder . As chairman and CEO of Ogilvy and Mather , chairman of J. Walter Thompson , and later as Undersecretary of State to Colin Powell , I 've been witness to how power is exercised and how people are chosen for leadership roles in the halls of both corporations and governments . There are now many more talented women to choose from , and yet we women still hold relatively few positions of influence . Even though I was a pioneering woman among a world of men , I think it 's harder for women today than it was for me to enter these circles of authority and influence . The men at the top do n't know how to appraise women 's potential . They do know leadership positions call for a competitive spirit , a fierce resolve and an endless ability to motivate others . These qualities , you 'll notice , are not about the work itself ; they reflect a person 's intrinsic way of approaching the work . The decision makers know how to size up other men on such characteristics but they do n't know the inner strengths of women well enough to judge , so they choose the known , the familiar - in other words , another man - to fill the top spots . This is due partly to the politically correct practices , which have done a lot of good , but have also inadvertently created a sense of distance . It has created a scenario where male leaders do n't know or recognize these more intangible skills in the women who are moving up , since these relationships can be quite formal - well , more politically correct . It is also because women today , so very articulate , poised , and educated , are not trained to enter the fray . Work can turn personal , raw , aggressive , and unfair , with little promise of applause or proof of performance for the tasks ahead . But handling all of this is synonymous with leadership . These are the terms of engagement , of relationships that go beyond great work skills and flawless logic . Great work skills , by the way , are something at which women excel , but they are too often tempted to hide behind their great work , rather than step out and be counted when situations turn messy and difficult and leadership is needed . Women , of course , do have such potent leadership qualities but they 're not sure how to communicate their unique way of being tough and resilient . There is a resistance , almost an air of punishment when women overtly move to persuade or seek to influence or press firmly for unpopular decisions . It is harder for us to show our leadership qualities over our far more approved of `` womanly ways , '' such as being modest and communal . There is a solution . Women have to learn to be leaders on their own terms . Do n't misunderstand - I am not talking about expecting companies to become kinder and gentler , or preparing special cushions for women to reign from . We do n't need exceptions made for us . Our way is no less fierce or brave or urgent but we do have to learn to unleash all these passions from the true center of who we are . Women must figure out their own unique qualities and let them loose . This is , in my opinion , the most crucial skill missing in working women today . Only when a woman begins to understand who she is from the inside out can she see where her mastery lies . It is a matter of letting everyone know what you believe in and all that you can offer . Though we are acknowledged to be the more verbal sex , we still need to acquire communications skills that include the ability to confront hostile actions , to motivate the disenfranchised , to reveal intensity of purpose and even to express anger . I teach women such things in workshops I call `` The X Factor '' -- the `` X '' being women 's potential . We always finish with presentations because life at work is really just one presentation after another . These can come in the form of emails , phone calls , meetings and even speaking from the podium , but they are all opportunities to present yourself . We have found it is very easy for the presenter to disappear behind the charts or within the team . After our sessions , the mantra of the women becomes `` Step out in front of the work . '' After watching groups of these talented women refine their presentations in every forum , it is incredibly rewarding to see women who had once deferred to their power points , step out in front , exposed and vulnerable but willing to say `` I believe . '' This is how a leader presents . When a woman dares to communicate all her unique qualities of leadership to those in charge , she will be tapped to take the lead . I am using the next chapter in my life to help women access this untapped power and to achieve their highest potential . I feel compelled to do it because this kind of handbook is n't one that I 've found on the bookshelves or in training courses . And it 's a book that I wish I 'd had when I first donned my business suit and walked into the big , bad world of marketing . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Charlotte Beers .
Advertising high flyer Charlotte Beers says it has become harder for women to enter circles of influence . She says men at the top do n't know how to appraise women 's potential . The problem is that there are so many more women than men, and they have a lot less power in society, she says.