Thank goodness, astute women are realizing that we don't need to act or work like men to get ahead. In fact, many recent studies have shown that we can literally kill ourselves by trying to work the same way as men.

One of the enviable attributes that women have in business (and in particular, marketing) is that we have a different way of looking at things. By having very good social-perception and the ability to empathize, females tend to be extremely effective at negotiating and bringing people together. Women's intuition – not always looked upon as a professional skill – is tremendously helpful in picking up clues that are not necessarily voiced by the person with whom we are communicating.

The ability to see things on the radar that our male counterparts may overlook is another powerful difference in how we lead. Marketing is more about leadership and communication, than it is about selling. Our communication skills allow us to connect with prospects, team-members and others in a way that builds that all-important Know, Like and Trust Factor. Techniques or specifics of your particular industry can add another layer of competency, but it's the underlying connection that builds the foundation of success in your chosen field.

We are seeing more and more high-profile women working to forge "partnerships of purpose," a term that British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, recently coined. On commenting about moving forward in these trying times, Mr. Brown said that we conquer our fear of the future, with our faith in the future. Taking that one step further, more of our prospective clients are looking to conquer their distrust of how they've been sold or marketed to in the past – by placing their business with people with whom they can have faith.

How can women's authenticity be detrimental? In general, women are not as good at self-promotion as men. Recent studies show that while men often exaggerate their accomplishments (we all know that really big-fish story, right?), women frequently downplay their accomplishments. I find that women are so good at deferring praise to their support or team-members, that they often give away their power.

Your Assignment, Should You Choose To Accept It:

1. Make a list of at least five accomplishments or moments in your life when you were most proud.

Attribute emotions and feelings that you experienced that made each of those moments memorable. What is it you're most self-satisfied about?

Tip: Don't give away your power by saying, “ I'm most proud of having had my children.” How could you re-phrase that? Perhaps something like, "I'm most proud of the values that I have taught my kids which is reflected in how they treat others."

2. Make sure that your list of accomplishments includes at least some that relate to success in business or your career.

As wives and mothers, we tend to downplay or negate business achievements in favor of what we do for our families. Men seldom do that.

3. Find a way to weave your accomplishments into your 30-60-second "elevator speech"

Ladies: this is NOT bragging! If you don't have a good elevator speech that positions you in your niche, that outlines your accomplishments — how are your prospects going to see why they should place their trust in you and your competency? It's not enough for you to know you're doing a great job — you've got to be recognized for that. It's called "shameless self-promotion."

4. Write down three to five names of female leaders you admire and the qualities that you admire in them.

Examples that come to mind are Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Palin, Ellen Degeneres, or Maya Angelou. Your leaders might not be household names, but there is something about them that you admire and aspire to.

Tip: Don't make the mistake of thinking that your role models don't brag about themselves. While that might seem true on the outside, I guarantee you that in order to achieve the levels of success they have, they've engaged in frequent self-promotion.

5. Next time you're in a tough spot or needing to make an important decision, ask yourself: how would so-and-so handle that? What would she do in my situation?

Whether it's marketing, sales or leading others, our authenticity and genuineness of purpose are the most important attributes we bring to the business arena. The only thing that keeps us from being authentic is fear: fear of what people might think, fear of offending others or of being hurt ourselves. Don't let that fear of showing people who you really are, hold you back from your greatness. Today, more than ever before — this is your time to shine.