Most research on informal leadership focuses on the benefits of leading, with little attention placed on exploring the potential negative implications for individuals with informal leadership status. We integrate adaptive leadership theory and conservation of resources theory to highlight the energetic activation level and work satisfaction of informal leaders based on four complementary studies. Results of Study 1 (survey) confirmed a negative association between individuals' informal leadership status and their work satisfaction, particularly under conditions of low formal leadership support. In Study 2 (interviews), we concluded that experienced low energetic activation level is the key mechanism explaining the informal leadership status‐work satisfaction relationship. In Study 3 (survey), we then confirmed that when formal leadership support is absent, individuals' informal leadership status is negatively associated with their work satisfaction through the mediation of their lowered energetic activation. Finally, based on a scenario manipulation (Study 4), we reported that informal leaders, as compared to non‐leaders, had a lower energetic activation level and thus lower satisfaction under the condition of low formal leadership support. Our findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the energetic activation of engaging in informal leadership roles and the continued relevance of formal leadership support to informal leaders.

中文翻译：

---

领导团队，但感到不满意：调查非正式领导者的积极激活和工作满意度以及正式领导者的支持作用

大多数关于非正式领导的研究都集中于领导的好处，而很少关注探索对具有非正式领导地位的个人的潜在负面影响。我们基于四项补充研究，将适应性领导理论与资源节约理论相结合，以突出非正式领导者的活力激活水平和工作满意度。研究1（调查）的结果证实了个人的非正式领导地位与他们的工作满意度之间存在负相关关系，尤其是在非正式领导支持较低的情况下。在研究2（访谈）中，我们得出结论，经验丰富的低能量激活水平是解释非正式领导地位与工作满意度关系的关键机制。在研究3（调查）中，然后，我们证实，在缺乏正式领导支持的情况下，个人的非正式领导地位会通过降低活力的调解而与他们的工作满意度负相关。最后，基于情景操纵（研究4），我们报告说，非正式领导者与非领导者相比，精力充沛的激活水平较低，因此，在正式领导支持率较低的情况下，其满意度也较低。我们的研究结果通过强调积极参与非正式领导角色以及正式领导支持与非正式领导的持续联系，为文学做出了贡献。基于情景操纵（研究4），我们报告非正式领导人与非领导人相比具有较低的活力激活水平，因此在较低的正式领导支持下满意度较低。我们的研究结果通过强调积极参与非正式领导角色以及正式领导支持与非正式领导的持续联系，为文学做出了贡献。基于情景操纵（研究4），我们报告说，非正式领导人与非领导人相比，具有较低的活力激活水平，因此在较低的正式领导支持下满意度较低。我们的研究结果通过强调积极参与非正式领导角色以及正式领导支持与非正式领导的持续联系，为文学做出了贡献。