ABSTRACT
In the preceding chapters we have touched upon the impact of authority and power on teams. In this chapter we delve further into the nature of team leadership, and how this affects the ability of the team to communicate and perform effectively. There is an assortment of commonly held beliefs and theories on what constitutes leadership and its impact on team performance. Even though you as a leader may have formal managerial authority over your team, it is mainly your ability to use your informal influence that is your best source of power to get things done. The quality of your interaction with your team as well as circumstances also play a major role. So how should you act as a leader in a team? As a director-using commands and coercion or, as a facilitator, positively attending towards the needs of team members? Is leadership based on having power over people, or having power with people? Whichever your view, there is a mutual relationship between those who lead and those who are being led. Your leadership competence will eventually be based on your ability to influence other team members for mutual success. Even though you may empower others, you remain nevertheless ultimately responsible for the way that power is used. You can find further insights into the subject of power and influence in the book Project: Leadership in this series, where we give a comprehensive account of the scope and depth of the topic.
