Leadership and In and Out Groups

Abstract

Every person's social circle is divided in different groups. Be it in a society, school or a company, people treat members of in-group differently and others differently. This discrimination is natural in all human beings. However, when it comes to leadership, such issues become big. This is because if the leader treats those whom he knows personally and others differently, then management issues arise. Therefore, an effective leader must possess the skills to use the knowledge of human psychology such as in-groups and out-groups and then use it for the betterment of his/her organization (Ferris et al, 2008) (Ferris, 2008) (Ferris, 2008).

Leadership and In and Out Groups

Introduction

The concept of out and in groups are commonly taken as a part of psychological or sociological study; however, they can be used in different aspects of life, very effectively. When it comes to the leader discrimination between the members of in-group and out-group, can lead to enormous problems. Whereas, management having good knowledge of these concepts can utilize them to enhance their performance of their organization. In this paper, these concepts are discussed in depth, their effects and how a leader can employ these concepts to increase the efficiency of his/her organization (Ferris, 2008) (Ferris, 2008).

Discussion

The Concept of In-Groups and Out-Groups

There is nothing complex in the concept of in and out groups. They can be used in different sectors of life and activities. The word “In-Group” is used to denote the close circle of a person or a gathering. It is where the word “us” can be used. On the other hand, an “Out-Group” is where “them” may be used. This understanding of these concepts can be applied in psychology, anthropology and biology. Usually members of an in-group are considered similar in some way like culture, background or race (Hackman & Morris, 1975). The members of an in-group don't treat out-group members in a similar way as they treat each other within a group. Psychiatrists and scientists believe that this discrimination is what guarantees the survival of groups in societies. Michael Maccalion defines the concept of in and out groups in his book as follows. An in-group is the one where a person shares his secrets, personal information and interacts more often (McCallion & Michael, 2007). On the other hand, an out-group is the one where a person neither shares his personal information nor he interacts with that group usually. Explaining the concepts, he further cites different symbols which can be used to identify in-groups, religious or traditional rituals, stereotyped behavior, common social practices, etc. These common practices among the in-group members must be identified to differentiate between the groups. Larry Sabbato used the example of elite journalists to explain the concept in a very elegant way. He said that these journalists have to get in the in-group of people to retrieve the information they require and then they present the information as outsiders. Therefore, membership of a group cannot be obvious always as factors such as point ...