Last August, Forbes published its annual list of the World’s Most Powerful Women. One hundred women with more in common than the three letters of CEO, editorship or the support of an electorate. If you too, you aspire to be on that list one day, here are a few tips:
- Be American, or run an American company. If you fail on both counts, at least go to an English-speaking university. Didn’t? At least speak English
- Work in politics, NGO, media, entertainment, finance. If unsuccessful in those endeavours, being plain rich qualifies you too
- Be white, unless you’re the president of an African/Asian nation
- Be blond, any shade of blonde under the rainbow, white manes included
- Wear dark clothes. Wear bright clothes. Any clothes as long as they’re not patterned or pastel. Unless you’re the Queen (highly unlikely). If in doubt, black suit, white shirt a safe choice
- Be Sarah Palin, who might or might not have been happy to be qualified as a “political commentator” in the “celebrity/lifestyle” category
- Have a university degree. BA/BSc a minimum. Harvard MBA always popular
- Be married. Children help too. Divorcees allowed but rare
- Have a BMI firmly anchored in the “healthy weight” category
- Be well above 40, unless you’re in entertainment. Power comes to those who wait. Just like Guinness
8 notes