Organizational moles: information control and the acquisition of power and status

All organizations have moles or informants who seek to acquire informal power and status within the organization by keeping supervisors and the chief executive officer informed about employees and their activities. If the leaders of an organization are insecure and distrustful, they value the information about the organization that moles provide. Moles survive organizational change because they are loyal first to themselves. Moles often are hardworking, productive people, but their net effect on the organization's moral is negative because they foster distrust and defensiveness among employees. Guidelines are offered to help identify possible moles so they can be avoided lest one become a victim to moles' methods.