Relational Model of Authority in Groups

One of the primary challenges faced by leaders of all types of groupswork groups, organizations, student groups, athletic teams, and religious sects, for exampleis how to get group members to follow the rules they establish and the directives they issue. More generally, authority figures face the challenge of getting group members to act in ways that advance group goals, such as getting them to work hard, organize their efforts with other group members, and do things that may be in the group's interest even if they do not benefit the individual. Groups that cannot successfully master this challenge are not likely to be viable for very long. For this reason, it is essential that leaders focus on overcoming this challenge. [Page 692]Indeed, it is this ...