LEADERSHIP, COHESION AND INTERACTION IN GROUPS AND

INSTITUTIONS:
OBJECTIVES:
 Describe the requirements for cohesion in groups and institutions
 Explain the different types of interaction within and among social groups
TYPES OF LEADERSHIP:
Effective leadership is an important factor in stimulating cohesion within a group. There are
different styles of leadership, which have a direct bearing on the way in which the group
functions. See table below:
Type of Leader Characteristics
Democratic/  There is a two-way flow of information from the leader to the members
Participative and from members to the leader. The leader might inform the group
about intentions and a planned direction. Group members can feed
back their thoughts and even suggest ideas of their own
 The members will participate in decision-making processes within the
group
 The leader will delegate some authority to group members
Authoritarian/  There is a one-way flow of information, from the leader to members
Autocratic  The leader does not take feedback or suggestions from members
 The leader does not delegate any authority to members
Laissez-faire  The leader gives very limited direction to the group
 Members are left to work out their own methods and processes for
achieving their goals

Qualities of good leadership

The success of a group often depends on the quality of the leadership. In most cases, a
democratic leader will be most successful, particularly in obtaining greater cooperation from
members in the group. A good leader should have certain character traits, such as integrity
and other skills in dealing with people. A leader’s knowledge and experiences may also be
relevant to a particular situation.
A good leader shou be able to:
 Communicate well with members
 Command the respect of members
 Initiate policies and set goals for the group
 Delegate tasks and the authority for accomplishing them
 Motivate members to achieve the group’s goal
 Display honesty and fairness
 Allocate resources for achieving the group’s goals
 Take note of and apply good ideas from members.

Aspects of interaction within and between groups:
Social interaction: -
Whenever people live or work in groups, there is interaction. This is the series of actions or
communications that take place between them. The interaction is sometimes between
individuals within a group and sometimes between groups. You need to be able to explain the
different types of interaction.
Competition: -
If two or more persons are interested in taking up the same position within a group, there
might be competition. There may be friendly competition when group members take part in a
debate or sports activity. Organizations may compete if they are both trying to achieve the
same goal. For example, non-government organizations (NGOs) may have to compete for
funds, and political parties compete for votes during election. Competition can lead to
increased creativity and determination.
Conflict: -
Conflict can occur within a group for many reasons, simply because each person is an
individual and it is unlikely that every one of those will always agree with everyone else.
Conflict may also arise when members are:
 In competition
 Unhappy with some of the behaviour within the group
 Dissatisfied with the leadership
The ability to prevent or resolve conflict is a useful skill for group leaders and members.
Cooperation: -
Cooperation involves working together. Individuals can cooperate within a group to see that
the group’s goals are achieved. Groups can cooperate together to see that wider objectives are
fulfilled.
Compromise: -
This concerns finding a way of resolution between two conflicting opinions or ideas. Each
side makes concessions, which means they give up something in order to reach a settlement
in which they get part of what they wanted.