pedersen%math.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (09/22/88)
I understand, from things I've read here and elsewhere, that research has indicated that small groups do not operate as groups of complete equals, but instead have a leader, and that the leader is chosen within moments of the group's formation. This choosing is tacit and occurs even if the group, as in a social setting, does not explicitly plan to have a leader. Are there ways to change these dynamics? If you're in a small group, and are not the leader, can you effectively take leadership at times anyway? I see at least two aspects of this: 1) what do you do to _be_ a leader, and 2) how do you take leadership from the current leader? I'm interested in the answer both for work groups (for me work is academics/research in math) and for social groups. --Sharon Pedersen Math Dept., Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 pedersen@math.berkeley.edu, ucbvax!math!pedersen
pedersen%math.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (09/26/88)
I received the following in the mail from premise!stein@EDDIE.MIT.EDU (Rich Epstein): | Concerning leadership: | Some possibly useful exerpts (paraphrased) from "Communicating at Work" | by Ronald B. Adler (pgs. 211-213). | Although some groups have an official leader, the power in a group | can be based on a number of factors: | Legitimate Power - officially the boss | Coercive Power - power to punish ("If you don't follow at least some | of my suggestions, I'll refuse to cooperate.") | Reward Power - both official and social (goodwill, voluntary assistance) | Expert Power - groups recognition of expertise | Referent Power - power due to the way others feel about them (respect, | attraction, or liking) | Information Power - (_my favorite_ - different from expert power - more | general and obscure. Also involves grapevine info - "I just heard | there's plenty of money in the travel budget") | Connection Power - who you have influence with. | The book is pretty easy reading and have some good ideas. It was | used at a course at the Harvard Extension School two years ago. | So, pick a power, and see how it works. | -Richard W. Epstein, Robin Computing Inc, Arlington MA 02174 | -(guest at Premise) --Sharon Pedersen Math Dept., Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 pedersen@math.berkeley.edu, ucbvax!math!pedersen
seltzer@ernie.Berkeley.EDU (Linda Seltzer) (09/26/88)
#anyway? I see at least two aspects of this: 1) what do you do to _be_ #a leader, and 2) how do you take leadership from the current leader? In answer to question #1, my experience is that in any work group there is a task to be done, and a great deal of work, time, energy, and interpersonal communication is needed to get the task done. Not everyone in the group is either willing or able to take on the responsibility. Usually, a person becomes the leader because either (1) a consensus has been developed that a certain person is dependable, responsible, and capable enough to get coordinate everything and get the job done, or (b) only one person is willing to take on the responsibility. If someone wants to be a leader, the best way to build this up is establish a track record of taking on responsbilities and handling them - and this includes the boring, time-consuming, routine tasks that have to get done in order to keep a group functioning. In every organization I have ever been involved in, my experience is that people who demonstrate a willingness and abilility to be leaders will have huge amounts of responsibility dumped on them, usually more responsibility then they ever wanted to get themselves involved in. The usual situation is more one of how to get everything done, not how to obtain a leadership role. As for question #2, this sounds like some type of political infighting. I don't think it's professionally smart to try to take responsibility or authority away from someone else, unless you have evidence that the leader has been dishonest or incompetent. If that is the case, there should be some formal procedures to address that. If you simply want to have more influence, then the best way is to spend more time taking on more responsibilities in the group, and you will naturally come to be an authority figure in the group. My answer is that leadership should not be thought of as power or influence, but as the amount of time, effort, and responsibility you are putting in towards completion of the task. If a person is exercising that amount of energy and responsibility, but is not being acknowledged or recognized, then it might be appropriate for the person to consider whether continued involvement in the group is appropriate. Linda Seltzer seltzer@ernie.Berkeley.EDU