I know some very intelligent people who were left in the dust career wise by less intelligent people because they just wouldn't learn to relate to people - and I mean wouldn't and not couldn't. They degrade people skills as being for the cheer leaders and "jocks" and sales droids.
Then, in the end, they're not that intelligent are they? I was picked on a lot in school, 'cause if I'm being perfectly honest here I am a huuuuge nerd. There's just no point in denying that when I'm here, posting this comment on Slashdot. The difference came when about halfway through high school I found out that a couple of people I'd written off as total douchebags were actually very smart, and their behaviour was largely a social ruse. I figured I could do the same.
Also, one thing that seriously helped was going to college all the way across the country from where I went to high school. Nobody I met in my first year at college knew I was a huge nerd in high school so they didn't treat me like one, then by the time I had to retreat into myself more because of my heavy computer science courseload, I already had a nice circle of friends going. I'm not saying the transition is easy but it is possible if you have made the decision to see yourself differently, and thus have everyone else perceive you differently. Things like Asberger's make it a lot harder but not impossible.