As team members interact, they develop respect for one another on numerous dimensions. The more respect, prestige, influence, and power a group member has, the higher his or her status within the team.

Status is the perceived ranking of one member relative to other members of the group. Managers usually have higher status, and their level of status does affect their behavior and decisions. But status is based on several factors: a member’s job title, wage or salary, seniority, knowledge or expertise, interpersonal skills, appearance, education, race, age, sex, and so on. Lower-level members tend to copy high-status members’ behavior.

Status congruence is the acceptance and satisfaction members receive from their group status. Members who are not satisfied with their status may feel excluded from the team, and they may not be active team participants. They may physically or mentally escape from the team and not perform to their full potential. Or they may cause team conflict as they fight for a higher status level.

To be an effective leader, you need to have high status within the group because your status affect your ability to influence others and your performance. Maintain good human relations with the group, particularly with the high-status informal leaders, to be sure they endorse positive norms and objectives. In addition, be aware of conflicts that may be the result of lack of status congruence.