RCT highlights the importance of the fit between gender rolesand the requirements of leader roles, and it proposes that t he relative success of male and female leaders should depend on the particular demands of these roles (Eagly & Karau, 2002). According to the theory, organizations that are highly male dominated or culturally masculine in their demands present particular challenges to women because of the incompatibility of these demands with people’s expectations about women. This incompatibility not only restricts women’s access to such organizations but also can compromise perceptions of women’s effectiveness. When leader roles are particularly masculine, people may suspect that women are not
qualified for them and may resist women’s authority (Eagly & Karau, 2002; Heilman, 2001). Although leadership positions are typically considered to be masculine and male typed, they can vary widely in these aspects. Some types of organizations are considered to be feminine and are occupied by more women than men (e.g., social service and educational organizations; United States Government Accountability Office, 2010).