According to Peter Northouse, leadership assists groups toward what?

Leadership, as described by Peter Northouse, is fundamentally about guiding and influencing groups to achieve their objectives. The essence of effective leadership lies in its ability to help team members focus their efforts and collaborate effectively, steering the group towards clear and measurable goals. This focus on goal attainment means that leaders not only articulate the vision but also inspire their followers to overcome obstacles and stay committed, ensuring that the team's collective energy is harnessed towards achieving specific outcomes.

The other choices, while they might be positive outcomes associated with leadership in certain contexts, do not capture the primary function of leadership as outlined by Northouse. Increased financial gain, enhanced personal relationships, and competition among peers may arise in specific scenarios influenced by leadership, but these do not represent the central aim of leadership itself, which is to facilitate and enhance the process of reaching defined goals.