As a senior professional in financial services — an industrywith comparatively few women in the executive ranks — I've spent alot of time thinking about whythere aren't more women at the top-most levels of companies.I've read the studies and heard the theories that womendon't network well; don't havethe “vision thing”; communicatetoo passively; don'task for bigger jobs and the top clients; and havefewer sponsors who are willing to use political capital toadvocate for them the way they do for their male colleagues.There's a lot of agreement and repetition when talking about theproblem. It's when discussing solutions that things getquieter.

As a mother watching her 18-year old college freshman daughtercontemplate her summer job options and future career, I want herto beexposed to success stories — not to what women lack orhaven't done or can't do — because I know these successes exist andwe need to share more of them. If young women everywhere went intothe workforce steeped not only in the message that “you can't haveit all” and inundated not only with data on the lack of seniorwomen, but armed instead with all the accumulated advice and wisdomof experienced women who have thrived in and enjoyed their careers,then they — and the organizations they're joining — would be muchbetter served.

Here is the advice I'll give my daughter — and all young womenlike her eagerly anticipating building a career — as she starts tomake decisions about her life. These are some truths that I knownow, twenty-plus years into my career, but wish someone had told meearlier. And though I didn't always follow these guidelines, mycareer has been more successful — and I got to where I am today —because of them. Maybe my daughter will embody these early on andbe ahead of the game.

• Be confident. I've watched you approach multivariable calculusclass this semester with coolness and calm. Bring that spirit intothe workforce with you. (For the record: I can't think of a singlething I've done in my entire career that approaches the complexityof multivariable calculus).

• You don't need to “know it all” on day one. And neither doesanyone else, including that very confident-sounding guy in the cubenext to you. Even CEOs ask questions.

• Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It took me about adecade, if not longer, to figure this one out. It's easy to holdyourself back by thinking there is someone else out there who ismore talented, more experienced, more skilled. You won't grow inyour career if you won't venture beyond what you already arecomfortable doing.

Read JoanSolotar's complete Harvard Business Review blog post to learn the remainingeight truths every leader and future leader should know.