Informal Leaders: Added Value or Threat?

Abstract

Abstract

Informal leaders have always been present in the organizational culture, but they have gained great prominence nowadays, and their merit as an element of connection and informal authority is recognized. In this article I present an analysis of academic studies and scientific articles about the weight of this caracter and how it may or may not be a valuable and indispensable element for the proper functioning and overall harmony of a team. There are several challenges faced as a leader, formal or informal, and the balance of both directly affects the team and subsequently the organization. There are then two aspects of this element, added value or threat, that can coexist during their passage in a given work context.