10 Tips for a Successful Career for Women in the Workplace

When it comes to running a business, is it better to hire a man or woman? Discussing this topic can be very difficult. Some people think it doesn't matter,  some say women are better suited and some say men are. Putting the obvious differences aside, here are 10 tips for being a successful woman in the workplace.

Ever since Fortune, in 1998, started ranking the top women in business (yes, we were first), I've been asking the stars of the Most Powerful Women list how they reached the top and how they stay there. One month away from revealing our 2011 MPW rankings, now seems a good time to share some of their best career tips.

Here is my Top 10:

1.Don't plan your career. Most of the women on the Fortune MPW list, starting with PepsiCo (PEP) CEO Indra Nooyi, No. 1 in the rankings since 2006, had no clear career map when they graduated college or business school. Rather, they stayed flexible and open to the possibilities.

2. Forget the ladder; climb the jungle gym. What good is a ladder when the world is changing so fast and unpredictably--and who knows what tomorrow's ideal job will be? Think of your career as a jungle gym, sharpen your peripheral vision, and look for opportunities all around.

3.Worry about the job you're in. "If you don't do that one well, you'll never get the next one," says Jan Fields, who started out cooking French fries at McDonald's (MCD) and rose to U.S. President. While it's important to envision some ultimate goal, says Fields, "you have to focus on what you have right now, or that long-term opportunity won't come."

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