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Leadership and Informal Small Groups

In: Overcoming Workplace Pathologies

Author

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  • Gilbert W. Fairholm

    (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Abstract

At its heart, leadership is a social activity. It takes place in the work community in relationships between a leader and a worker or between a leader and small subgroups of coworkers. It is interactive communication at an intimate—not usually formal—level. And it is continuous. The relationship composed of a leader and a coworker reiterated for each worker in the group becomes the primary environment within which leadership takes place. As such, it partakes of all the characteristics of a small group relationship. As a small group activity, leadership can benefit from insights from small group theory. This theory helps leaders and coworkers understand the relationship context within which leadership takes place. It helps practitioners predict results given specific small group factors. And it is useful in helping leaders cope with cliques or other subgroupings that often form within the work community—groups that can hinder leadership and adds to its complexity.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilbert W. Fairholm, 2015. "Leadership and Informal Small Groups," Management for Professionals, in: Overcoming Workplace Pathologies, edition 127, chapter 4, pages 39-53, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:mgmchp:978-3-319-17154-8_4
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-17154-8_4
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