Establishing Leadership Identity in a Small Group Among Peers

This thesis focuses on the discourse strategies used by a leader in a small group meeting in order to maintain interpersonal relationships and give task-oriented direction. The leadership discourse strategies identified in this paper accomplish relational and transactional goals, such as promoting participation, softening criticism, and delegating tasks. Fulfillment of relational and transactional goals allows the speaker to establish a leadership identity in discourse. Examples are taken from a one-hour video-recorded meeting of members of a student organization in order to demonstrate how the leader fulfills relational and transactional goals. Additional factors contributing to the specific leadership style in the study are considered in relation to the discourse strategies used to establish a leadership identity.