Articles in the last couple of weeks produced by Lucy Kellaway and Rosie Millard have brought some fresh blood to the debate which will run and run.

Looking at the bigger picture of diversity, one key point is frequently overlooked; that is that women exercise much more power and influence in business than their numerical role represents. We constantly read about the number of women on FTSE 100 boards. What should be more frequently discussed is the number of women who are rising rapidly through the professions, which it could be argued, is a better environment for career women.

A good example as far as influence is concerned, is a hugely successful FTSE 100 company that has three non-executive women on its board, one executive director, the director of executive organisation and development, and the Retail HR director, whose influence extends to some 65,000 people.

The debate therefore needs to change in emphasis; business is not about democracy, it isn’t about delegate representation, it’s about performance and, as I have just said, influence.

A particularly interesting and historically understated facet of Rosie Millard’s article is ‘the poison’ represented across the whole of the OEC that is manifested by ‘workaholism’, a phenomenon created in Japan and perfected in the United States.

Modern commercial life is permeated by a failure to distinguish between activity and action. Commercial life needs a breakthrough, and that breakthrough is represented by a chief executive officer, who not only understands, but demonstrates in his work style, behaviours and communications that work does not have to fill all available space.

Look in this week’s newspapers and you will find numerous examples of chief executives who crow about the fact that they are sending out emails in the middle of the night, dinners three times a week, who when interviewing potential senior candidates, suggest meeting at 7:30am. I’m sorry, but how pathetic is that? Modern technology should be an aid to productivity. In so many cases it has become a facilitator of neuroses.

Andrew Garner is chief executive of Garner International