Rather than being viewed as superior, the leader's abilities are valued by other group members, with respect being earned rather than forced. As mentioned, communication is central to effective group functioning and leadership. Hence, a good group leader will also have a distinctive verbal style. Members who display a confident verbal style, making helpful suggestions and organizing the group in effective ways, tend to emerge as leaders. Such leaders also speak clearly and directly, which increases their influence in the group. To reiterate a previous point, it is also such leaders who will be able to influence group members towards a certain decision. Strong group leadership is particularly beneficial where difficult decisions are at hand, or where group members struggle to reach consensus on issues.

In terms of style, emergent leaders within groups generally follow a more informal style than formally appointed company managers. As such, they tend to adhere to situational models, where a variety of situations require different leadership styles. This is also related to group maturity, where recently-formed groups tend to require a more stringent leadership style than the more mature group, which has developed cohesiveness and positive interdependence.

Finally, the leader also recognizes that positive interdependence includes the leader him- or herself. Emergent leaders, as mentioned, are generally seen as peers with specific talents rather than superiors. Hence, the leadership situation is more informal, particularly in more mature groups. One of the talents of such leaders is indeed the ability to distinguish the types of leadership required in different situations.

IV. TEAMS vs. WORK GROUPS

When comparing teams and work groups in a business situation, it is more likely that the former will succeed in most situations. Teams have a variety of qualities that work groups do not. Work groups for example tend to be constructed from homogeneous employees, all working within the same environment. Such groups may do the same type of work, with the division of labor conducted according to workload rather than according to the performance and...

Work groups are also generally managed by an external leader, who is not connected with the specific tasks or concerns of the work group.
A team, on the other hand, is constructed from a diverse group of individuals, each of whose talents are valuable to the goals of the group as these relate to the goals of the company as a whole. A team is furthermore managed by an internal leader, who works together with the team as one of its members. Communication within the team tends to be both open and informal, which increases the effectiveness of the team in achieving its aims. The team furthermore distinguishes itself from the work group by having a predetermined set of aims and goals to reach. The team interacts more effectively than the work group, because of the importance of the goals to achieve.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is vitally important to understand the dynamics of group work within the business environment. Indeed, no business can afford to ignore this factor. Groups are both more effective and more relevant than individual executives. Through effective leadership and interpersonal communication, groups work towards achieving aims and goals faster and more effectively than individuals can. Hence, companies would do well to implement teams and leaders in situations where such a solution is viable.

References

Brenner, Mark. (2009, Dec. 1). Group dynamics can enhance leadership development. HR Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/management-business/13638575-1.html

Frey, Nancy, Fisher, Douglas & Everlove, Sandi. (2009). Chapter 2: Using Positive Interdependence. In Productive Group Work. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109018/chapters/Using_Positive_Interdependence.aspx

Galanes, Gloria J. (2010). Group Leadership and Problem Solving. Southwest Missouri State University. Retrieved from http://www.roxbury.net/images/pdfs/cps6chapw.pdf

Oxford Brookes University. (2010). Characteristics of a group: Cohesiveness. Retrieved from http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd/2_learntch/small-group/sgt107.html