1 Formal leaders are those in administrative positions who have official authority to act. Formal leadership has its greatest impact when followers accept the leader and members work positively toward accomplishing goals. 1 Informal leaders are those chosen by the work group itself. Informal leadership often develops as the result of job experience, special competencies, or personal characteristics. Informal leaders frequently have excellent communication skills and are the nurses others go to for counseling.
Informal leaders have a powerful influence in any work group.
If the informal leader influences the other workers to perform more effectively, then the leader is acting in support of the organization's purposes. Management and leadership are often thought of as synonymous, but leadership is a broader concept than management. Management is a special kind of leadership in which achieving organizational goals is paramount. Managers carry out operations and maintain the status quo by setting goals and objectives consistent with the mission of the organization, managing human resources, and providing performance feedback. The best managers are also effective leaders, although there are many managers whose expertise is in managing what currently exists rather than envisioning the future.