Forbes Most Powerful Women on Earth

German Chancellor Angela Merkel tops Forbes Most Powerful Women on Earth.

She was elected in 2005, and has been on this list 10 out of 11 times, parked at number one, it seems, 9 out of those 10 times.  To think the US Government had her on its phone-tapping roster.  Even as public sentiment toward the European Union is clearly undergoing a marked shift, Merkel seems particularly in influential.

Reference: The World's Most Powerful Women 2014.

Do these women "firsts" mean that their proverbial glass ceiling has been shattered? I hope so.

But it'll take a long while, yet, I daresay, to clean up the shards on the floor and otherwise remove any remnants of that glass ceiling.

"Women are as good as men, because they're no different, and they're as strong, as tough, as smart as men."

I love how these marketing and editorial consultants recommend one of their own, the Most Powerful Pincher, Oreo the dog, and Eve's Mom to be on the cover.  Altogether a brilliant move by Steve Forbes to seek their consultation.    

Forbes' Most Powerful Women are behind many of the brands we have, or encounter, in our daily lives. 

Good to Great (3) Superior Results

Deliver superior performance vis-a-vis purpose, mission or target

Make a clear difference for people in the community

Build endurance and ensure success for the long haul

Reference: Jim Collins.

Good to Great (2) People First

Make sure you have the right people on the bus

Make sure the wrong people are off the bus

Make sure people are on the right seats in the bus

Reference: Jim Collins.

Good to Great (1) Fierce Leadership

Great leaders are ambitious for the cause, organization and work, not for themselves

Great leaders have fierce resolve to realize these ambitions

Great leaders balance personal humility and professional determination

Reference: Jim Collins.

Leadership Breakthrough (3) Anne Sweeney

Anne Sweeney, President of Disney-ABC Television Group, may not be able to explain it entirely.  But while her team apparently used the best of their analytic and planning skills, she drew on a moment of insight, maybe from her gut, that they all had to go faster.  Her approach, as she describes it, was understated but pivotal:  She put it on the table for her team to mull over and come back to.  She didn't impose it, she didn't demand it, and she didn't cheer-lead around it.  The team came back, and must have drawn up the road map for getting it done on an accelerated time frame, and ended up having an exciting year in the process.

Leadership Breakthrough (2) Anne-Marie Slaughter

What Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO of the New America Foundation, relates is a perfect counter-argument to our social media preoccupation with Likes, pluses, and endorsements.  Sometimes to do the right thing means subjecting oneself to criticism, opposition or dismissal.  But one must hold steadfast and go forward, as she did.

Leadership Breakthrough (1) Annie Young-Scrivner

Annie Young-Scrivner, President of Starbucks Canada and also Executive Vice President at the company, points to a number of key things about leadership teams, which are easier said than done.  For one, it isn't just a matter of her team agreeing with what they have to do, but they also have to buy into it heart and soul.  Moreover, she appreciates the fact that at the same time they must different from her, leverage their skill sets and personality styles, and work collaboratively and forthrightly toward a tough target (e.g., drastically altering a growth trajectory).