This is a guest post by Kelly Huffman 

What will it take for women to achieve equality in the workplace? 

Let's do a quick international case study comparing women's presence in the halls of corporate power. In Norway, women hold more than 35 percent of the seats on corporate boards of directors. In the U.S., that number hovers around the 19 percent mark.

Why such a big difference?

Several years ago, Norway passed legislation mandating gender diversity in the boardroom. Other Scandinavian countries followed suit, and this year Germany passed a law requiring large companies to appoint women to 30 percent of the spots on their boards.

But it's unlikely that the United States would ever pass this kind of legislation. (It remains the only country in the world besides Papua New Guinea that mandates no paid family leave.)

So, aside from pursuing education and paying their dues, what can women do to keep working their way up?

The below infographic about women in the workplace offers some great statistics, resources and tips.

The numbers about pay inequity are indeed sobering, but there's also a lot of inspiration - women are earning more degrees and making inroads into the C-suite.

Women in Business: The Way Forward

The common refrain from female CEOs: Keep your hand up, take risks and stretch yourself to take on uncomfortable new challenges!

What's your advice about how women should lead?