WITI and Compel Ltd. have officially released the "Women in Technology 2007 Report" based on an on-line survey conducted recently with nearly 2,000 women managers. The report also summarizes views and experiences of 16 women CIOs we interviewed in the same period.

One of our research goals was to shed light on how women in technology think about power, influence, leadership and their work experiences overall. What's emerged from the findings is a fascinating and simultaneously disturbing paradox. In a nutshell, women in technology seem to greatly enjoy their chosen field, but have decidedly mixed feelings about the organizations they work in.

An eye-popping 75 percent of survey respondents said they would advise a young woman starting her career to enter a technology-related field. Yet, only about half (52 percent) described their organizations as having "favorable climates" for women, while 21 percent chose the category "unfavorable" and 27 percent abstained from commenting.

What's driving this? How does it relate to organizational concerns regarding the declining percentage of women in the IT workforce? And what exactly is it women in technology want?

Our survey suggests at least four factors that - if addressed in a serious and disciplined way - would make a difference to women's satisfaction and retention in technology environments.

1. Hear My Voice.
While 42 percent of women in our survey suggested men and women have equal opportunities to have their "voices heard", 48 percent expressed a belief that their views are not as acknowledged or welcome as those of men. On a related note, 44 percent suggested that women are given fewer opportunities to participate in and lead big initiatives, an important aspect of being (and being perceived) as influential.

2. Create Discipline Around Mentoring.
Despite widespread evidence of the link between mentoring and leadership development, it appears that most technology environments don't establish or vigorously support meaningful mentoring initiatives. Forty-six percent of respondents said they do not have or have never had a mentor in their current company, and only 27 percent believe that there is a formal women's networking and mentoring program in place.

3. Support Me at a Critical Career Juncture.
While the stressor of "work/life balance" was evident in general (46 percent said they struggle to manage career and family), there may be a pivotal point at which women weed themselves out. It's mid-career, when they've started a family and have young children, but they are offered a big, important all-consuming assignment. What's missing is the organizational policies and programs that support and transition women managers and directors through this phase of their career cycle.

4. Show Me the Future.
Nearly all survey respondents wrote additional comments about specific issues on their minds. Two themes emerged that can be paraphrased as: "It's not clear if I have a future." and "I don't feel in control of my career." These contrast mightily with what we learned talking to the 16 women CIOs. They cited technology trends that point to increasing opportunities for women's leadership in organizations - including a tectonic shift away from technology as bits and bytes and toward a human focus of helping people do what they do but better. Sifting through interviews, we also deciphered seven CIO lessons learned that can help other women in technology consciously supercharge their careers. The challenge is that neither the media, organizational leaders, nor women in senior technology positions are painting this visionary picture and showing women how to take advantage.

For more detailed findings from the "Women in Technology 2007 Report" - join one of the WITI Webinar debriefs hosted by Compel Ltd. - May 15 and May 29. Click Here for Details!

We also welcome comments at: compel@corp.witi.com

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