I think mdavza is quite right, for many women it feels that ambition and a desire to be liked by colleagues are at odds with each other. It doesn't have to be so, and mdavza I would definitely encourage you to pursue your ambitions! Managing staff that you are friends with can be hard, and I've done it in some particularly difficult circumstances but managed fairly and sympathetically, with maturity on both sides, it can definitely be done. My biggest management successes have come from being willing to make the tough decision and to deal with the consequences, you don't ^haveT to be liked by the people you manage but you do have to be respected by them (and respect them in turn).
It's been said that women tend to look at a job ad and think if they hit 9 out of the 10 mandatory competencies it's not worth going for, whereas men will tend to think "9 out 10 is pretty good" - a huge generalisation of course but if people are holding themselves back, a good one to bear in mind.
Networking is vital, I think - people have to know who you are. And this facilitates a two-way flow - of information, help, and ultimately influence. And trust plays a big part as well - in a previous job, my boss asked me to do demos of a product to the board of our client. Not because I was an expert, far from it, but because I wouldn't lie. If a board member asked 'does it do such-and-such' I wouldn't say 'oh yes, it can' (as certain product experts had done previously, meaning it could be amended to do it with extra expenditure) but would present the truth as positively as possible. Seek out a mentor, ask for coaching in the skills you need to move into a leadership role.
In terms of a session on family issues, I can understand your ambivalence, Unrulysun, in that it plays into the stereotype that childcare is a woman's responsibility. In my old team, we had 5 people working part-time hours to accommodate childcare - 4 are men. That's how it gets challenged. There's also something about how technology can make it easier for us (all of us!) to balance work and life better.
And I think confidence has a massive part to play as well. You have ambition? Good. Use it. You want to work three days a week? Good. Find a solution that works for that. You want both? Good. Make it happen. I entirely accept that this will not always be possible, where unless you can pull in a 60 hour week you just won't be considered for promotion, but workplaces are evolving and will continue to do so.
The other thing I'd add (and I realise I'm on my soapbox now) is that no-one should feel pressured to act like "one of the boys" if they work - as I do - in a predominantly male environment. I'm quite happy to put up with some gentle teasing - and give plenty back in return - but everyone knows where the line is, for everyone. Not just me as a woman in a team of guys but as a team with lots of things to wind each other up about. Again, it's all about respect.