She worked for a man who was bright and capable but did not like managing, so she managed for him privately for years. The environment was supportive, and she was promoted quickly. It was much easier then to achieve really high positions because these men knew I was no threat to them. They knew they controlled my future I would never be head of a division or a director of the Center. Such control no longer exists.
Women are successful primarily because they are very capable.
They must capitalize on their own skills in mediation and sensitivity. They are better able to accept criticism, they can laugh at themselves, and they listen better. These things make a difference. While one person may articulate the idea, it's not necessarily that person's idea. Men, however, pick up the idea and make it theirs.