But yesterday, we heard about it in terms of the executive suite, where some women manage to break through the glass ceiling that continues to exist in our business culture. Co-sponsored by The Week and The Conference Board, "Women in Power: Views From the Top," featured Catherine Kinney, president and COO of the New York Stock Exchange; Dr. Caroline Kovac, general manager, Healthcare and Life Sciences, IBM Corp.; Shelly Lazarus, chairman and CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide; and Suzy Welch, co-author, along with husband Jack Welch of Winning, and former editor of the Harvard Business Review. The discussion was moderated by none other than CNBC's "Money Honey" Maria Bartiromo, who expertly navigated the conversation.

The panelists, guided by Bartiromo, discussed a wide range of topics from corporate scandals and governance issues to balancing work and family, to China, the productivity of the U.S. workforce, and biotech. It was as topical a discussion as you could ever wish for from four women who, while they are in very different businesses, can relate to one another's climb to the top. But what the Minute found most interesting was the work/life balance discussion.

Advertising whiz Shelly Lazarus spoke about women choosing not to find a way to manage three kids, high-powered careers, a husband, and more. "I think we're losing a lot of talent," she told a packed house at the Four Seasons. "I haven't seen a lot of women returning. They want more flexible schedules. They want to stay at home and experience their kids while they're young and have the freedom to do that." To her credit, NYSE's Kinney mentioned that not all women can afford to do that.

"The workforce must change," declared IBM's Kovac, who said that it's not just women who need flexibility, it's everyone throughout the balance of their work lives. "You need to find flexibility for all employees. We need to find a better way." Kovac hit the nail on the head.

Lazarus, who we have heard speak before, is particularly brilliant on the flex issue. Her business, she says, is all about talent. To be sure. Here's a woman who deals with all sorts of mercurial creative people, challenging clients, and impossible deadlines. "It's not about flex time, it's about meeting people on their own terms." Lazarus went on to say that it's about the creative director who wants to work from his ranch in Texas, or on a mountaintop in California. "It's an attitude; it's not about policies and terms. We're far from it, but I can see it happening."