"If alpha moms are rolling, professional alpha women are stalling," according to Maureen Dowd, in her wonderful new book Are Men Necessary? Rather than trying to survive the serious humiliation heaped upon successful women like Hillary and Martha to make way for Success, Part 2, Dowd claims that women are choosing to focus their considerable talent and attention on their family life. Every culture on the globe has it's methods for keeping women down. American women are professionally beaten down and then allowed to rise up and be rewarded with a second chance. For those who get beaten down at about the same time that they start their families, opting out is common and the family becomes the arena for their organizing and managing talents.

These days when an alpha woman marries it is often to an alpha male. When children arrive, she becomes an alpha mom who sports alpha muscles while driving her alpha SUV ferrying her alpha kids to their scary number of organized activities. Her alpha husband flourishes in the alpha zone of corporate culture.

Imagine, if these women were able to work a reduced hours schedule in their established professional careers. What if these women and mothers parsed out their attention units equally between kids and careers? Perhaps the battlegrounds -- both office and home would break out in peace. Mom, no longer guilty and worn out, would not surrender to her picky toddler's demands for mac and cheese at every meal. Professional women would no longer be abandoned by the other women in the office who work full time and overtime hours. Their commitment would not need to be measured by their corporate climbing but by the quality of the work delivered.

Another by- product would be that the men and fathers would benefit too. If men like to run things because they are left brain dominant and full of testosterone, they will always be more assertive, willing to take risks and will continue to walk off with the prize. Many writers have pointed out the stats on women who are willing to trade rank and money for the ability to be excellent parents to their kids. Most of these women would like to cycle in and out of their careers while they manage their caretaking roles. Several companies have already succeeded in supporting women managing their schedules flexibly. The stats on men balancing work and family obligations show the men are a no-show. Fathers reap the benefit of being able to focus at work rather than awkwardly trying to remember if this is their night to pick up the dinner and kids. The family unit benefits when the duties are distributed to eager participants.

I am a feminist and I truly believe that Carly, Bernadine, Geraldine, Jill and Diana are all professional women of true power and leadership. I also know that women trying to make a mark in corporate culture are still rapelling a steep cliff face. If women are willing to collaborate at work, billions of dollars of productivity are at stake. As a result, women will advance at a steady pace -- something that is creeping along so far. The ramifications for business, men, women and children are just mind boggling. Guys! Are you listening? The sexes can each do it on their own terms!