PsyBlog: Leaders Emerge by Talking First and Most Often

PsyBlog: Leaders Emerge by Talking First and Most Often
This post made me think of how I got looped into being Chair of the Henry County Democrats... I opened my mouth too much!

In reality the leaders did not always make the best contribution to the task, but their voices were usually heard first and most often.

This study suggests leaders emerge through more subtle processes than the word 'dominance' might imply. Rather than brow-beating or bullying others into submission, leaders-in-waiting effectively signal their competence to the group by making greater verbal contributions to discussions. Others then assume that their greater contribution will mean their group will be more likely to succeed.