Sylvia Ann Hewlett is an author and economist, president of the Center for Work-Life Policy and director of the Gender and Policy Program at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. She is also a mother - one who, like so many other women, was compelled to step off the fast track to care for her family. Her difficulty in managing her career and re-entering the work force inspired her to write Off-Ramps and On-Ramps: Keeping Talented Women on the Road to Success.

Alternatives to a Tired Paradigm
Although the book was motivated by personal experience, it is far from a memoir. Off-Ramps and On-Ramps is neither a self-help tome nor a broad social analysis. It focuses specifically on what companies can do to help women and presents a compelling business case for doing so. The book gives a clear perspective on the unique external factors that can influence a woman's career, posits some solutions and profiles several companies who have successfully implemented policies that attract and retain talented women.

The first half of the book is devoted to establishing Hewlett's assertion that the current paradigm, what she calls the "Male Competitive Model," is both outdated and ineffective. Forged in the days when gender roles were clearly regimented, the rules of the working world have never evolved to accommodate women's broader opportunities and successes.

The latter portion of the book is devoted to exploring and advocating solutions. Each chapter covers a different approach such as "Combating Stigmas and Stereotypes" or "Reimagining Work Life" and provides a profile of current best practices in each category.

Programs at Work
Lehman Brothers' Virtual Workplace is one of the initiatives profiled in the "Combating Stigmas and Stereotypes" section. After losing their offices in the Sept. 11 attacks, and concerned about the possibility of an Avian Flu outbreak, the firm stepped up its commitment to telecommuting as part of its disaster-preparedness plan. As a side effect, because the work-from-home option is widely available - not just used primarily by working mothers as it often is elsewhere - the playing field at Lehman Brothers is considerably more level.

"Creating Arc-of-Career Flexibility" contains the story of Booz Allen's Adjunct Program. The demands of working for a consulting firm can be brutal to those looking to start a family. Losing a valued consultant can be difficult for a company that markets itself on expertise and experience. Therefore, the firm created the Adjunct Program which provides part-time contract work to employees who otherwise would have left the firm entirely. By allowing seasoned consultants to "ramp down" instead of "off ramp," Booz Allen not only reduces attrition, it creates a flexible workforce that can nimbly respond to business cycles.

Like other work/life initiatives, the Adjunct Program creates opportunity for both sexes and for the employing company. Such, argues Hewlett, is the business paradigm for the future.

Excerpted with permission. Copyright © 2007 by Soundview Executive Book Summaries. www.summary.com, 1 (800) SUMMARY, 1 (610) 558-9495.