Episode 8

Although Survivor is a game show where individuals compete for the grand prize, they must all work together to ensure they will not be voted out. As a result, leaders step up to encourage their tribe and their teammates to win challenges throughout the show, while also stepping up to control the outcome of tribal council.

When the show first began, few individuals emerged into leaders. Jeremy from the original Hunahpu tribe got himself into the position by winning the tribe’s first challenge, and openly communicating and establishing relationships with the rest of the group. Josh from the original Coyopa tribe also made himself likeable to his tribe using the same strategy of being open with the tribe as a hole. In this sense, Jeremy and Josh both hold personal power that becomes extremely evident over time.

However, Josh expresses a specific type of leadership that is found in the Styles Leadership Theories. He is an autocratic leader, especially in the way he handles how his alliance votes. At the beginning of the show, he was in a close alliance with Baylor. This was split up when he and Baylor were later put into opposite tribes when there was the tribe switch. Now, as both tribes are merged, Josh is extremely direct with Baylor and in wanting her vote. He tries to manipulate her by explaining that she owes him a vote. Instead of using personal power, he begins to show position power – especially coercive. When Baylor expresses that she’s not sure if she should follow his orders, Josh convinces the rest of his alliance to vote her out simply because she won’t stand with him. Although this is his plan, it backfires and we see Josh voted out to the surprise of his alliance and the satisfaction of Jeremy and his alliance.