The informal leaders may turn out to be a troublemaker for the organization.
Problems Created by
Informal Groups
Negative attitude of informal
leaders: The informal leaders may turn
out to be a troublemaker for the organization. In order to increase his
influence, he may work against the policies of management and manipulate the
behavior of his followers. Thus, he can be a source of conflict between the
management and the workers. He may induce the followers to work against the
interests of the organization. If such a leader is promoted to the rank of an
executive, he may turn out to be a work shirker and an arrogant and autocratic
boss.
Conformity: The informal group exerts strong pressure on its members for conformity.
The members may become so loyal to their group that following the group norms
becomes a part of their life. This implies that members become subject to
willful control of the group leader who may lead the group towards selfish
ends.
Resistance to change: Informal group generally have a tendency to resist change. Change
requires group members to make new adjustments and acquire new skills. But
groups want to maintain status quo. Sometimes, groups react violently to the
proposed changes being brought by the management
Rumor: Informal communication may give rise to rumors. This is not desirable
from organization’s point of view. Rumors originate for a number of reasons.
Maliciousness, employee’s anxiety and insecurity are the prominent reasons.
Role Conflict: Every member of the informal group is also a member of the formal
organization. Sometimes, there may be role conflict. In such a situation, group
members may conform to their social norms. And if an individual member wants to
follow the formal instructions of his boss, he may be snubbed by the informal
leader and compelled to conform informal group norms.
Tags : Management Concepts & Organisational Behaviour - Group Dynamics
Last 30 days 2229 views