(Note from Mark Remond: This is a posting dennis sent to me some time ago, one which I meant to publish earlier. A reminder to new readers: dennis has been directed by his Wife and Mother-in-Law to lower-case all masculine nouns and pronouns and to capitalize all Feminine nouns and pronouns. I do not interfere in his compliance with those directives.)
Carol sent me to a workshop on software development today. i was flattered to be selected, particularly since the Women we sent are all regarded as high-performing management candidates. The company conducting the training had a significant percentage of Women in technical, finance, and consulting positions just as our company does. No accident here; Women simply have the needed talent and education. So far the course is excellent; the Women conducting it really know software.
It's also been interesting watching leadership dynamics that come into play. Not sure why, but the men in attendance, with the exception of tom and me, organized themselves into their own team for the course exercises. tom and i chose to get on one of the Women’s teams and were welcomed as members of their group. The Women said they welcomed ideas no matter where they came from. The only condition was that They wouldn’t tolerate male bravado and told us so; none of that from tom or me. The Women took charge and moved forward with a good analysis of the problem given us; lots of collaboration and exchange of ideas.
The Women also looked professional; i know from my work in the boutique that a business suit, pantyhose, and heels are a combination that screams “we mean business.” The men, on the other hand, came to class dressed casually if not sloppily. They had an attitude that they had all the answers—“piece of cake,” one said.
The men looked on the workshop as a competition with the Women. they kept to themselves, worked alone in another room on the other side of the building, argued a lot, and even spied on the Women's work during breaks. The Women were collaborative and open to ideas and inputs; yes, they reached out to the obviously dysfunctional men but were rebuffed—“we don't need help from you Girls,” one of the men said laughingly.
When the exercises were completed at the end of the day it was the Women who, by far, had the best solution to the problem put forth; the men were obviously confused and greatly underperformed. The instructor made them stay late to try and salvage something of the day for them. The men embarrassed themselves and their gender. Anyone, even the most casual observer, would see that Women were the obvious leaders here. It's no wonder Women are moving up in government and business. Women are collaborating and getting things done, making a difference, in spite of men. 
tom and i were invited to have dinner with the Women. When one of them joked that we “wouldn't mind being one of the Girls,” we agreed. Why would anyone mine being on a winning team? As we walked out of the workshop, the sound of six pairs of high heels echoed through the hallway—a sound can be intimidating, ominous, or triumphant. One of the Women laughed at the sound and observed, “Wow, We make a lot of noise!” i told Her that high heels on polished tile was the sound of the future. “Leadership wears high heels,” i added. She agreed. It’'s the new reality. And i LOVE the sound of high heels!—d