Leadership in Groups

The topic of leadership in groups has been extensively discussed and analyzed by social scientists and practitioners. A review of the literature reveals that this phenomenon is studied along three key dimensions: (1) the role and functions of the leader in the context of the group; (2) the differential styles of leadership and their effect on the group as a whole and on individual members; and (3) the personality traits of the leaders and their impact on leadership effectiveness. The debate over the issue of the ideal strategy for conceptualizing leadership in groups is still current. This chapter describes how different leadership styles, leadership roles and functions, and structure and process can affect groups. Group formation (and the various stages) and member role induction are two important processes that leaders manage. A review of leadership qualities and cases that call for co-leadership (including practice principles important for co-leadership) are also discussed.