Origins of Leadership and Power Essays - 2720 Words

This paper will study the different facets of leadership and power in small group interactions. The variety and number of studies that have focused on leadership and power attest to the importance and ambiguousness that surround any attempts to define their origins or implications. First, the definitions of leadership and power from a social psychological viewpoint will be presented. Then a discussion will follow examining the effect of different variables on the leadership effectiveness and then a look at the convergence of power and leadership and their interrelationship. Leadership Leadership is an important element in the functioning of group interactions toward an organized goal. Leadership has been defined in many†¦show more content†¦Departing from the theoretical definitions of leadership in terms of assumptions of group members and the use of broad terms like power and characteristics best suited are definitions that are more practical in nature. Leadership can also be defined as the person or persons who possess directive roles in any group interaction (Hollander, 1985). All of these theorists definitions of leadership stress the fact that leadership is not a one-person social process. In order for a person to be a successful leader and exhibit those leadership skills which are accepted and praised by the dominant culture, there must be followers, or people whom the leader can lead (Hollander, 1985). The discussion of the qualities of leaders and origins of leadership will follow the detailing of the theoretical definition of power. Power Power is broadly defined by sociologists as the capacity of one person to achieve purposes without the consent of or against the resistance of others (Hewitt, 2000). There have been attempts to measure the social power of those deemed to possess it, to determine the level of their potential influence. These studies have almost universally run into the problem of designating how these resources which are potential influence are actually utilized (changed to potential influence to actualized influence) to the end of influencing the actions of others (Blalock Wilken, 1979). One of the most importantShow MoreRelatedPolitics And State : Government And Politics1239 Words   |  5 Pagesgovernment and politics, especially when discussed on the international sphere. Often used interchangeably these words are not the same. Nation and state are two distinct words, but state is the only word that does not have a definite origin. However, both words have been given power through the toxic idea of nationalism. Nation and state are two critical terms in the study of politics and it is vital that people are well informed about them. Although these terms have different meanings in each country, nationRead MoreDifferent Views Of Innate Ability Of Leadership1255 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is leadership? 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