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Not too long ago, suggesting that a woman might be named CEO of a major corporation or become president or vice president of the United States seemed absurd.

Today women are at the helm of Fortune 500 companies such as PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, DuPont, Xerox, Yahoo, and many others, and in the 2008 presidential campaign Hillary Clinton put her “18 million cracks” in the glass ceiling of the presidency. Add to that the fact that according to the Center for Women's Business Research women-owned businesses annually pump $3 trillion into the economy and employ 23 million people, and you see that more women are finding success across industries.

But for every woman who reaches success in her chosen field, Roxanne Rivera, author of the new book, There's No Crying in Business: How Women Can Succeed in Male-Dominated Industries, warns there are many others who, either because they are being held back by the boys club in their organization or industry or because they are afraid to take the necessary steps to get ahead, continue to struggle. To push these women to greater heights, Rivera stresses the importance of showing them that they too can be successful, no matter their industry.

“To succeed in a company or industry where men hold sway, we need to know both the obstacles and the opportunities," Rivera says. “The good news is that every day, women figure out how to do well in these environments. All my experience and research shows me that women can do extraordinarily well in most organizations and industries, no matter how long it has been a bastion of male dominance or how widespread and ingrained that dominance has been.”

Listed below are a few tips on what successful women do right.

1. Successful women choose credibility over insecurity. Successful women do not hide behind their insecurities. Instead, they go out and earn credibility through their actions and attitude. They prove their credibility by being effective doers rather than trying to stay under the radar as nice but ineffectual employees. They also understand that once credibility is established, it must be maintained. They know that there is always the chance that what they say or do will affect their reputation.

2. Successful women are “thoughtful risk-takers.” Women need an edge if they're going to enjoy exceptional success in a male-focused culture, and that edge often comes from taking calculated risks.

“Many of the women I interviewed for my book talked about how men often are macho in their risk-taking, impulsively seizing the moment to recommend bold, decisive action,” Rivera says. “Successful women, on the other hand, take educated risks. They do a certain amount of research and will spend some time analyzing and planning before taking a chance. This doesn't guarantee the risk will pay off, but it gives them better odds. Remember, risk-taking is often admired in male cultures, so women who take risks (that pay off) are seen as part of the brotherhood. More to the point, risk-takers are seen as managers and leaders; they're willing to accept responsibility for taking chances.”

3. Successful women are passionate about their work. Often overlooked, passion is a crucial point for women who want to make it to the top. “At least in my experience, I have never seen a woman CEO who is always cool, calm, and unemotional, yet still highly efficient,” Rivera says. “Instead, they are extroverted, enthusiastic, and fiercely dedicated. There is no question that they care deeply about their companies and their job performance, and they bring energy to their work that few can match. They have the drive to lead others. Just think about today's women CEOs and political leaders. If you were to describe them using three words, would ‘passionate' be one of them? I would wager that at least nine out of 10 times, it would. If you don't have a passion for what you are doing that can push you through the tough times, it will be very difficult for you to reach your full potential.”

4. Successful women know when to say no. Women often feel that they need to do more than men to get ahead. And usually, doing more translates into saying yes to all requests and assignments, no matter how unfair they might be. But successful women know that setting and keeping their boundaries will have many more long-term benefits for them than doing every little project or task they are asked to do.

5. Successful women know how to provide strong support to their leaders. A major factor for successful women is knowing when to contribute versus when to take the backseat. Successful women can read their leaders. They can intuit when their immediate boss, manager, or company CEO wants them to contribute a slew of ideas and when he just needs some strong support. And nine times out of 10 the best way to provide that support is to listen first, speak second. That's because people who feel they are being listened to —especially leaders — will respect the listener.

6. Successful women know when to ask for help. Confident women realize that asking for help does not mean they are incompetent. Asking colleagues for help engages them and allows them the chance to feel valued. “At the end of the day, you simply can't do it all,” Rivera says. “If you want to earn the respect of your colleagues, approach every task with the mindset of a learner. This means that you're open to new ideas and that you're not afraid to say, ‘I don't know' when you're venturing into new territory. And if you are a leader, remember that people love it when ‘higher-ups' ask them for assistance — it suggests they value what others know. More than that, it communicates that they're not too proud to ask for help.”

7. Successful women put the “pro” in professional. When given an alternative project —even when it is something they may not necessarily have wanted — successful women always handle it like a pro. Doing so shows the people in their organizations that not only are they team players, but they can also change horses mid-stream and still do an excellent job. “Always handle yourself with class and dignity,” Rivera says. “And remember that doing a great job on those projects that you may not be all that passionate about will eventually lead to your getting to do what you truly want to do.”

8. Successful women build effective teams rather than seek the limelight. Women have a naturally participatory style. We tend to listen to ideas and acknowledge our colleagues. We also have the ability to “read” people's styles, which helps us put the right people together. Rather than try to become the superstar or take all of the credit for achievements that required a group effort, successful women put their teams on a pedestal and never miss an opportunity to applaud their achievements.

“People have tremendous respect for anyone who puts others first,” Rivera says. “And team-building is a great way to do that. Men are often excellent individual performers, but they aren't always adept at getting the same high-level performance out of a group. In fact, many male-oriented companies are characterized by a superstar performer and sub-par teams. Use team-building skills to demonstrate how you can deliver superior results. At a time when more and more organizations are depending on teams to get work done, this is a crucial performance skill.”

9. Successful women have a “thick” skin. Take pride in your abilities and understand that while standing up for yourself and being decisive and authoritative may be viewed by some negatively, most people will view it as being competent and self-confident. “Recognize that you have the right and responsibility to do your job and do it well,” Rivera says. “Be assertive when necessary and always stand up for yourself and what you believe in.”

10. Successful women don't use being a woman as an excuse for not succeeding. For some women it can be all too easy to resort to an I-can't-get-ahead-because-I-am-a-woman mentality when things aren't going their way. However, successful women understand that that excuse is unfair and self-defeating. They understand that the strengths and qualities that they bring to the job are uniquely their own and complementary to the qualities of their colleagues. “Comparisons are unfair.” Rivera says. “By accepting the gender differences and focusing on doing the best you can do, you increase the odds you'll excel.”

11. Successful women know how to earn the respect of their male peers. These women understand that there is no better way to earn respect or faster way to grow than to tackle a project that stretches them to their limits. Even if they fail, they understand that they always learn from their mistakes.

Roxanne Rivera is the president and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of New Mexico. She also serves as New Mexico's liaison to the National Associated Builders and Contractors in Washington, D.C. Rivera's key clients included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, White Sands Missile Range, the U.S. Air Force, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Department of Defense, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Intel, General Electric, Ethicon and Rockwell International.
For more information, visit www.nocryinginbusiness.com.