Leadership in Small Groups

Leadership is one of the key processes of interpersonal and small group development. Leadership is an inevitable element of life in groups and societies alike (Elkin & Inkson, 2000, p. 203; Forsyth, 1999, p 340). In this essay, I will discuss the process of leadership in relation to small groups and explain how it relates to other interpersonal processes such as influence and power. In addition, I will explore trait, behavioral and situational theories to unravel the different approaches to leadership as well as study one former research on leadership, 'The Fielder's contingency m…