Leadership Currencies
informal power currencies in organizations.
What determines alpha status varies dramatically across species, revealing multiple 'currencies' of dominance: Physical Currency (red deer antlers, elephant seal mass), Resource Control Currency (chimp meat sharing predicts alliance r=0.67, vampire bat blood sharing), Information Currency (elephant matriarch water sources, orca migration routes), and Social Currency (bonobo grooming time predicts hierarchy r=0.81, wolf pack greetings).
The most successful leaders combine currencies - above-average strength with superior coalition building, strategic resource sharing, and knowledge of critical locations. Multi-dimensional dominance is far more stable than uni-dimensional superiority.
Business Application of Leadership Currencies
Assess formal vs. informal power currencies in organizations. If >70% from formal authority = despotic hierarchy risk. If 40-60% mix = healthy balance. Currency exchange mechanisms (expertise → promotion, relationships → influence, performance → resources) prevent stagnation.