Communication traits and leadership emergence: Examining the impact of argumentativeness, communication apprehension, and verbal aggressiveness in work groups

Abstract

Organizations utilize work groups to accomplish many of their needs. Often, these work groups have no prescribed roles for their members, thus allowing leaders to emerge. Researchers have focused on traits to explain who might emerge as a group's leader. The current study examines the communication traits of argumentativeness, verbal aggressiveness, and communication apprehension for their impact on leadership emergence. Participants were placed in groups of three and were instructed to discuss who, of two job candidates, should be hired for a university position. Results indicated that argumentativeness and communication apprehension were associated with leadership and combined were better predictors of leadership than either communication trait alone. Verbal aggressiveness was not associated with leadership emergence.