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For women who have demonstrated leadership ability, formal education is an effective career advancement strategy. By using feminine traits, such as team building and com- munication, a woman can bring complementary assets to law enforcement without losing her femininity. Women in leadership are usually the oldest daughter. They tend to be close with their fathers. Nevertheless, research shows women no longer need to show off masculine traits in order to be accepted into a male dominated profession, such as law enforcement. Their natural personalities and skills bring new tools to law enforcement, diversifying the field, and add- ing a different viewpoint to their agency. A Different Point of View Since women think differently and interact with people dif- ferently than men, they run the risk of being misunderstood. Women are at times criticized about the length of time it takes them to make a decision. Exploring every angle before acting only works in certain situations. That is why women and men in law enforcement should work in tandem. Women in law enforce- ment should use their team building skills to promote leadership. Women are natural communicators. They should use this ability to promote effective communication among team members. "Gender intelligence" means acknowledging the differences between men and women, while seeing the ben- efits of both genders. For example, women tend to excel at community policing and use less force than men. Women can continue to overcome policing stereotypes by intentionally developing the competencies, qualities and characteristics required to achieve leadership positions in their chosen profession. Women who aspire to leadership po- sitions may certainly learn from the lessons of women who have gone before them. There are several key lessons identified from women who have achieved formal and informal leadership positions within law enforcement organizations. These women police leaders provide some lessons learned on the competencies, qualities and strategies, which may be used by those aspiring to be leaders in the profession of law enforcement. Education The women in law enforcement certainly reflect the increas- ing level of education achieved by women police chiefs. For women who have demonstrated leadership ability, formal education is an effective career advancement strategy. Edu- cation provides opportunities for hire, promotion and ex- perience necessary to achieve leadership goals. Completing education above the requirements shows diligence and pro- vides the qualifications needed to overcome discrimination in the workplace. In a study on women managers, all the participants attended college and completed their degrees. For women aspiring to become police chiefs, a graduate degree is recommended and the recommended degree category is business or public ad- ministration. These academic fields help prepare individuals for administrative responsibilities. Plan and Prepare for Promotion For women who are interested in formal leadership positions within administration, planning and preparing for promotion is a must. Consider this: If too many women forego the pro- motional process over time, law enforcement agencies face a long-term reality of having insufficient numbers of women in the middle ranks to fill command positions in the future. Women aspiring to administration should plan and prepare www.lawandordermag.com 75 Law enforcement has enough people to knock down doors – what is needed is more of a different kind of officer.