ABSTRACT
Gender differences in leadership emergence has important consequences in the workplace. Traditionally, women have been considered less likely to emerge as leaders because social role theory suggests that gender creates behavioral expectations for women that are incongruent with leadership responsibilities. However, with the increased prevalence of relational leadership, gender differences may decrease or even favor women as leadership is shaped by bottom-up, interactive processes. We suggest that taking the perspective of leadership as a process provides insight into the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that might help minimize gender disparity in leadership emergence. In this chapter, we examine the role of gender in relational interactions, schemas and beliefs, and contextual forces that shape the leadership process. Despite the positive shifts, we identify areas where women may still be disadvantaged in leadership outcomes. Finally, we identify trends in how the changing nature of work uncovers new opportunities for women as leaders.
