Women are preparing for manager/CAO positions. So why aren’t they getting the jobs? In the combined January/February 2015 Public Management (PM) magazine’s cover story “Women Leading Government: Why So Little Progress in 30 Years?” Heidi Voorhees, a former village manager who provides executive recruitment and human resources services, Northbrook, Illinois, and Rachel Lange-Skaggs, a management consultant for the city of Schaumburg, Illinois, outline the reasons that answer the why.

They also include these steps that women can take to reach the top job:

1. Effectively assess their skills.
2. Make their intentions known—discreetly.
3. Navigate the assertiveness dilemma.
4. Partner with their partners.
5. Develop informal networking groups and join professional organizations.

For specific details on these steps, along with five more necessary steps for managers, ICMA, and all professionals to take to help women advance in local government, check out the cover story.