In a team of colleagues, one employee may occasionally emerge as an informal leader – a dependable person to seek advice and solutions from. As a result, managers often assign that employee crucial tasks and provide the best professional development and growth opportunities.

However, there may be other employees in the same team who possess similar leadership qualities and abilities. Businesses stand to gain by affording more employees the chance to participate in leadership roles.

Research from the University of Missouri suggests that organizations may be failing to fully leverage the leadership potential of their employees due to a lack of equal opportunities for leadership development and advancement.

Wasting leadership potential

The researchers investigated how informal leaders are selected within teams by surveying 375 employees from 63 different stores. The study found that not all motivated and capable employees are given the chance to act as leaders to the same extent. Participants were asked to identify who they looked to for leadership and motivation on difficult days, and the majority named the same individual who had emerged as a leader.

The authors observed that once a team has established a leadership structure, it tends to remain relatively stable over time, making it challenging to effect change.

“This is important because such a structure tends to establish very quickly and is often not optimal,” the researchers explain. “If you are not initially established as a leader in that structure, you are at a disadvantage. For instance, someone who is extroverted is more likely to quickly emerge as a leader, whereas someone who is introverted and equally talented may not. Yet, the group dynamic we found suggests that the introverted person, despite his/her talent and motivation to lead, may be called upon less by their peers.”

Fewer opportunities

In conclusion, the research indicates that individuals in such situations will have limited opportunities to demonstrate their leadership potential within their work unit, and as a result, they may receive fewer promotions in the future.

Additionally, the study reveals that this trend can create a sense of exclusion for all employees and hinder their chances of being groomed for formal leadership roles. This is not only unjust for certain groups, such as minorities, but it can also harm the overall productivity of the organization.

“Organizations benefit from individual initiatives, so you want to encourage all of your employees to behave like leaders,” the authors conclude. “This prevents the expectations of a leader, like identifying issues and motivating the team, from being levied on one person—and it generates a healthier and more productive work environment.”