Every organization has an org chart. But power? It rarely sticks to the lines.

• Formal power is easy to spot. It is in job titles, roles, and reporting lines. The Director tells the manager, and the manager tells the team. Orders flow top-down.

But informal power? That is where things get interesting.

• It lives in the trusted veteran who knows everyone’s backstory.

• In the quiet analyst whose advice shapes decisions behind the scenes.

• In the connector who spans teams, builds bridges, and trades in whispers and goodwill.

Smart leaders pay attention to both.

• They honour the formal structure—yes.

• But they also map the shadow network.

• They know who has pull, who has trust, and who has influence without authority.

A common misstep: a new leader leans on title alone.

• They issue commands.

• They push change.

• And hit a wall of quiet resistance.

An OD advisor would ask: Who do people really listen to? Who do they go to for clarity, reassurance, or the “real story”?

Ignore informal power, and you are flying blind. Tap into it, and change flows faster, deeper, smoother.

Formal authority brings order.
Informal influence brings traction.

True power?
It comes from understanding both.