Power, Status, and Leadership in Groups

3 Credits

An overview of research on power, status, and leadership in group contexts. Power, or the ability to achieve one's will even against resistance from others, represents how leadership is often conceived in everyday thinking. The course will review the extensive literature on power in social groups and networks, one conclusion of which is that the power to control others often leads to difficulty in relationships. Leading with status (or influence) has the ability to mitigate some of the problems that are created by inequalities in power, and the course will also review the extensive body of theory and research on status and influence in groups. Organizations are political entities that require the use of power and influence to be effective. Thus, the course will survey theory and research on power, influence, and politics in organizational contexts, paying particular attention to how they are relevant to leadership.