ROLE OF THE LEADER IN GROUP AND TEAM PERFORMANCE

Role of the Leader in Group and Team Performance

Role of the Leader in Group and Team Performance

Introduction

As organizations begin to recognize the utility of using teams to maximize performance and increase productivity (Shea & Guzzo, 1987), it is becoming increasingly important to understand what influences teams if they are to be used effectively. A team, as defined by Helliriegel, Slocum and Woodman (2001), is a small group of people, that offers a set of complementary and appropriate skills, and that holds itself mutually accountable for achieving a clear and identifiable set of goals. In today's organizations teams can vary from empowered teams, autonomous work groups, self-managing teams, cross-functional teams, quality circles, project teams, and committees - a list that represents, but does not exhaust, all available labels.

As the 21st Century ensues, organizations continue to change dramatically. Global markets, technological advancements, mergers, acquisitions, and changing work structures have created an extremely challenging environment. To meet these challenges many organizations are relying upon teams to develop and implement organization change.

However, teams are not always effective. They can be highly dysfunctional and disruptive, which can lead to arguments, conflict, and ultimately bad decisions. As the utilization of teams continues to grow, research into the effectiveness of work teams is becoming increasingly important. If the role of teams is to be positive, people must first learn how to make them work effectively.

The purpose of this research is to contribute to the growing literature on the role of team performance and address the link that exists between Leader-Member Exchange - the quality of the relationship that develops between a leader and group members; Self-Monitoring - the ability to observe one's impression; and Collective Efficacy, - a group's shared belief in its capability to attain goals and accomplish desired tasks, on team performance. Specifically, this proposed study focuses on the following issues:

How does the quality in the Leader-Member Exchange relationship influence team performance?

How does the role of Self-Monitoring in leaders influence team performance?

How does perceived Collective Efficacy influence team performance?

How Collective Efficacy, Self-Monitoring in leaders, and Leader-Member Exchange work together to influence team performance?

Leader-Member Exchange

Leader-member exchange theory was first described 25 years ago in the works of Dansereau, Graen, and Haga (1975), Graen and Cashman (1975), and Graen (1976). The leader-member exchange (LMX) theory conceptualizes leadership as a process that is centered on the interaction between leaders and followers. According to Yukl (1998), LMX describes how a leader and an individual subordinate develop a relationship as they influence each other and negotiate the subordinate's role in the group. The roots of LMX theory may be found in two primary theories: role theory and social exchange theory (Dienesch & Liden, 1986; Graen, 1976; Sparrowe & Liden, 1997).

Role theory suggests that organizational members accomplish their work through roles or sets of behaviors that are expected of position holders. Focusing on how roles develop, Graen (1976) suggested that roles are not solely determined by written job ...