A good leader must show initiative (Sandy, Lynn & Robert, 1997). In a situation such as the one the colonists find themselves in i.e. where there are no social amenities such as water and security, it is imperative that these people should come up with their own amenities. Issues such as security are especially dire since lack of it puts everything they have worked for at risk. Any person with good leadership skills must know this, and when they come together as a group, this person is tasked with ensuring that their group builds up security around their hideout.
In the Colony, the first person to show initiative and lead the others in ensuring security is Sally. Since security proves to be one of the group’s biggest flaws eventually, we can conclude that given the chance, and if things had gone wholly according to her way, their camp would have been more secure than it was. Sally is also responsible for making the first fire, also a sign that she has the capacity to think and provide for other members, a good character trait of a leader in tough situations, which require out of the box thinking.
There exist many examples of leadership skills by different writers, styles that depict determinants for successful leadership. One of these styles is the Leader Member exchange theory (LMX). The LMX theory revolves on the idea that leadership revolves around the relationship between the leader and the followers. This theory is interested on the interactions that take place between a leader and the followers, and proven that the dyadic relationship between the leader and the members is the determinant of the type of leadership (Linden, Sparrowe, Ferris & Wayne, 1997). In this theory, there are two types of organizational relationships; these are in-group settings and out-group relationships.
In an in-group setting, the leader has a close relationship with the members and it involves a lot of problem sharing. In this setting, the leader is also more friendly and tolerant of the workers, and this allows the leader to include the followers in decision-making processes. The out-group relationship is the opposite and the leaders maintain the hierarchical powers bestowed upon them, maintaining a distance between them and workers (Graen, 1995 pg 219-247). Sally maintains an in-group relationship with the other members, with communication lines open between all, and the entire group takes up decision-making.
References
Graen, B George. (1995). The leadership quarterly. Relationship-based approach to leadership:
Development of leader-memberexchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a
multi-level multi-domain perspective. Vol. 6. Issue. 2. Elsevier.
Liden C. Robert, Sparrowe T. Raymond, Wayne J. Sandy, Ferris R. Gerald. (1997). Research in
personnel and human resources management, Leader-member exchange theory: The past and
potential for the future. Vol. 15., (pp. 47-119). US: Elsevier Science/JAI Press.
Sandy J. Wayne, Lynn M. Shore & Robert C. Liden. (1997). The Academy of Management
Journal. Vol. 40 NO.1. (pp. 82-1111).US: Academy of Management.
