Although an underrepresentation of women in educational administration persists, the reasons for the disparity have changed over the past 30 years. This book presents findings of a study that examined successful women administrators' insights and viewpoints regarding career achievement and leadership. Phase 1 of the study surveyed 151 women administrators, and phase 2 elicited indepth personal narratives from 15 of the women. The introduction reviews related literature and describes the research methodology and participants. The chapter titles reflect the study's analysis of the advice most often given by the women to other aspiring female administrators. Chapter 1, "Be Prepared," focuses on the importance of attaining the proper credentials as well as being prepared psychologically to overcome the barriers that women encounter in seeking a career in educational administration. Chapter 2, "Plan for Your Career," advises women to plan strategically for their careers as early as possible. "Persevere," the topic of the third chapter, deals with the keys to persistence despite a host of barriers particularly associated with gender bias. Chapter 4, "Be Diligent and Professional," substantiates the perception that women in administrative positions are expected to work harder for less compensation and are usually scrutinized more critically than are male administrators. Chapter 5, "Honor, Preserve, and Protect Your Integrity," emphasizes the virtue of adhering to one's principles despite political pressures. "Reach Out to and Through Others," the title of the sixth chapter, stresses the importance of developing personal and professional support networks. The seventh chapter, "Practice What You Seek: The Importance of Mentoring," identifies the characteristics of effective mentors and describes how being a mentor can favorably affect one's professional life. "Lead by Example," the eighth chapter, explores the leadership styles and strategies most employed by successful women leaders. Chapter 9 briefly reviews historical perspectives on women in leadership positions in education and identifies important shifts that have occurred with respect to issues surrounding the underrepresentation of women in educational administration. The final chapter challenges women to seek leadership positions and to believe in their capabilities. Appendices contain copies of the two surveys. (Contains 78 references.) (LMI)