Role of leadership in group behavoir

Leadership is a central part of understanding group behavior as it's the leader who directs others towards the desired goals. The recent efforts using the big 5 personality framework( extroversion, conscientiousness, openness, experience) has implied better results. Leadership is defined as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or a set of goals. Leaders may be managers but not all leaders are managers, nor are all managers leaders. The non sanctioned leadership(the ability to influence others that exists outside the formal structure of the organization) is as important as the formal leadership. Thus, leaders can be both made or may be born in that way; leaders may emerge through the formal organizational structure or even without it.

Some of the leadership theories are:
1. Trait theories - That consider personal qualities and characteristics that differentiate leaders from non leaders.
2. Behavioral theories - Indicate certain behaviors differentiate leaders from non leaders
3. Contingency theories - like Fielder model, Situational leadership theory, Path goal theory etc.