Sponsoring SLMA’s Top Twenty Women in sales lead management got me to thinking about the top 20 women of all time.

From initial visions of Rosie the Riveter and the sounds of “You’ve Come a Long Way Baby” (somehow, the fact that you have your own cigarette now, baby, does not seem like a reward—but I am probably dating myself here), I moved on to come up with this list of the top 20 women of all time and their traits that inspire.

• The dynamic leadership of:

1. Elizabeth I
2. Saint Joan of Arc
3. Indira Gandhi
4. Golda Meir

• The advocacy for equality and human rights by:

5. Harriet Tubman
6. Susan B. Anthony
7. Eleanor Roosevelt
8. Rosa Parks
9. Gloria Steinem

• The innovation and diligence in pioneering physical and social science discoveries of:

10. Marie Curie
11. Margaret Mead

• The courageous spirit in opening aviation to women by:

12. Amelia Earhart

• The compassion and commitment to healing and education of:

13. Mother Teresa
14. Florence Nightingale
15. Helen Keller

• The passionate creativity and vibrant expression in the work of:

16. Sappho
17. Billie Holiday
18. Ingrid Bergman
19. Georgia O’Keeffe

• The sheer joy and enthusiasm for preparing and sharing fine food of:

20. Julia Child

I bet you use some of these very traits to describe a woman you know doing extraordinary work in sales and marketing today.

There is a great opportunity to acknowledge her commitment by nominating her right now for recognition as one of the 20 women to watch in sales lead management in 2011.

Sales lead management is a “big tent” sphere of B2B and B2C activity that includes work in all areas from sales and marketing to CRM, marketing automation, lead generation, and agencies (direct, brand, PR and internet).

A search is on to find the most influential and inspiring women who are at the forefront developing and applying best-practice processes in sales lead management.

More specifically, my friend and colleague, James Obermayer, and his team at the Sales Lead Management Association have organized the nomination and selection process to recognize 20 Women to Watch in Sales Lead Management 2011.

Nominating is open now and runs to March 16. Nominees will be judged on contributions to a combination of marketing, sales and sales lead management efforts. Additional qualifications such as board positions, book and article authorships, and speaking on the subject of sales lead management and marketing ROI will be taken into account. The judging panel’s results will be announced on the SLMA website March 31.

Click here to go to the 20 Women to Watch website and enter the name of your colleague. Nominating is open to members of SLMA. If you’re not a member, it’s free, easy, and takes just a few seconds to join.

PointClear is proud to be a sponsor of this first-ever recognition of women leaders in managing sales leads.

And then—because I’m curious!—leave a comment on who you’d include in your list of the top 20 women in history.

By Dan McDade