Page 191 - Effective group discussion theory and practice by Adams, Katherine H. Brilhart, John K. Galanes, Gloria J

174 Chapter 7

FIGURE 7.1 A model of emergent leadership

Stage 1: Stage 2: Stage 3:
Contenders: A B C D X A X C X A X

Lieutenants: B D B X

Noncontenders: E E E D C

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male high self-monitors emerged as leaders but women did not, most likely because
female high self-monitors, sensitive to subtle clues, sometimes sense that their leader-
ship behavior is perceived as inappropriate. They may then modify their actions to tone
down that leadership behavior. High self-monitors are more likely to emerge as leaders
across situations, but low self-monitors, who are motivated more by internal than exter-
nal cues, can also emerge as leaders in situations where they want to express leadership;
they will not emerge as leaders if they hold unfavorable attitudes about leadership. 15
Verbal style, together with the content of a member’s communication, also is asso-
ciated with leadership emergence. Baker found that members whose communica-
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tion style was quiet, tentative, or vague were perceived as uncommitted to the group
and not knowledgeable about the group’s task. These members were quickly elimi-
nated as potential leaders because others did not believe they contributed ideas or
helped organize the group. Those who did emerge as leaders suggested procedures for
the group more often, thereby helping the group get organized. The emergent leader’s
profile was high in procedure giving, moderate in idea giving, and low in stating opin-
ions. High-status members who were not leaders had a dramatic style that, though
unusual, was tolerated because of their perceived helpfulness to the group.
In Chapter 4, we touched upon issues of biological sex, gender, and diversity in
small group interaction. Although you may be surprised to learn that even today peo-
ple associate “leader” with “male,” biological sex has not been a useful predictor of
who will emerge as a group leader. Rather, psychological gender, or the learned and
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culturally taught sex-role behavior of individuals, is more useful. For example, regard-
less of sex, individuals enacting a learned masculine communication style (i.e., inde-
pendent, self-reliant, willing to take a stand) emerged more often as leader than those
enacting a learned feminine and nonandrogynous communication styles (i.e., nurtur-
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ing, supportive, empathetic). Generally, groups appear to choose leaders on the
basis of performance, most especially task performance. Hawkins’s observations of

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