Though-provoking article at http://hbr.org/2011/06/defend-your-research-what-makes-a-team-smarter-more-women/ar/1

My two cents:

• I think the results are less about gender differences and more about the value of soft skills.
• • But the gender difference makes a catchy title. I saw the title on my twitter feed and thought, "This I gotta see..."  :)
  • At the same time, it's not a huge shocker that women tend to be better at these softer skills than men.
• I would guess the value of soft skills is amplified in a group of strangers getting together for a few hours, compared with a typical work environment.
• • That is, it's not a surprise that when you put a bunch of strangers together in a group, raw IQ has less of an impact on the group's performance than ability to listen, sharing constructive criticism, having open minds, and not being autocratic.
• Investing in soft skills, not just raw intelligence, is worthwhile for a company to do.
• • Thanks to my employer, and Lorie in particular, for the continual investment in us in this area!