Organizational Groups and Effective Team Leadership
Working Groups and Leadership Dynamics
Understanding Working Groups
A working group consists of members who operate independently within an organization, yet share a social identity and a common collective consciousness.
Differences Among Worker Groups
The responsibilities of each employee vary, leading to a hierarchical order. The status that various workers hold is based on the meaning, prestige, and value associated with their job. Differences in status can stem from both formal and informal factors.
Key Sources of Leader Authority
- Rational-Legal Base: Authority derived from normative standards and laws, granting legal power to orders.
- Traditional Base: Authority rooted in respect and consideration for the traditions of the organization, community, or company.
- Charismatic Base: Authority based on devotion to the exceptional characteristics of the leader, who allegedly issues rules or orders that generate this devotion.
Work Environment vs. Employment Leadership
In a non-work setting, a leader typically emerges informally and spontaneously. In contrast, within the workplace, the authority of a team leader or working group leader is official and an integral part of the established hierarchy.
Complementary Leader Positions
- Task-Oriented or Operational Leader: More formal in nature, designated by company management as the head of a group or team. This leader directs efforts towards production, improving work quality, and ensuring compliance with organizational objectives.
- Socio-Emotional Leader: This role is not always formal; such leaders are often invisible to the company but highly recognized by workers. They focus on achieving peer satisfaction and fostering positive relationships among team members.
Tactics Leaders Use to Influence Subordinates
- Rational Persuasion
- Appeal to Ideals
- Consultation
- Fraternal Appeal
- Personal Appeal
- Exchange
- Legitimacy
- Pressure
Three Key Elements in the Influence Process
- Leader
- Followers
- Situational Context
Qualities of an Effective Leader
An effective leader understands how to behave appropriately under the demands that emerge in different situations. They skillfully combine their orientation towards the task with their interest in the needs and expectations expressed by group members at every opportunity.
Basic Functions of a Leader
- Performing assigned duties.
- Meeting the needs of group members.
Different Leadership Styles
- Leadership based on interest in the task.
- Leadership based on interest in group members.
Contextual Leadership Factors
- Task type
- Specific situation
- Specific working group
Group Dynamics and Formation
Group Concept
A group is an internal organization with common goals and objectives. It is an organized system composed of two or more individuals who play specified roles and share rules governing the function of each of its members, all in order to achieve a common goal.
Purposes of Group Formation
- Achieve better distribution of tasks.
- Gain more effective direction and control of labor.
- Facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
- Collect information, ideas, and suggestions relevant to labor organization.
- Inform all members of the organization about adopted decisions.
- Increase the level of commitment among group members.
- Resolve conflicts within the organization.
Adverse Effects of Groups
- Blurring of responsibility.
- Increased conformity and a decrease in critical opinion among members.
Group Conformity Levels
Groups can exhibit conformity in both formal groups (permanent or temporary) and informal groups.
Key Factors in Group Formation
- Physical Proximity
- Professional Proximity
- Proximity of the Task
- Social Proximity
Temporal Permanence of Groups
Groups can be categorized by their duration:
- Permanent Groups
- Temporary Groups
Types of Permanent Groups
- Manager Group
- Group of Executives and Middle Management
- Specialist Group
- Group of Workers
Types of Temporary Groups
- Project Study Committees
- Negotiation Groups