In this paper I will discuss the effects and responsibilities leaders have on an organizational culture. I believe leaders have an enormous effect on the well-being of an organizational culture. Leaders must take an active role within their organization's culture. Whether positive or negative, in an organization, things tend to follow suit "down hill." A leader has the power and influence to maintain, create, or repair an organizational culture. However, this can prove to be a delicate and challenging task.
When trying to maintain a healthy organizational culture the leader has many factors that he/she must balance. Maintaining a healthy organizational culture may be viewed as an entire strategic operation in itself. A healthy organizational culture is a must for success within the organization. In this paper I will discuss the leader's role in making certain that the organizational culture is a healthy.
The Organizational Culture
What is an organizational culture? Every organization has its own unique culture. Organizational culture can be "described as the personality of an organization, or simply as "how things are done around here." It guides how employees think, act, and feel." (Hansen, n.d., para. 2) Organization culture is a key aspect to the organization's success or failure. Organizational culture "shapes the way people act and interact and strongly influences how things get done." (Adeyoyin, 2006, para. 1)
The organizational culture may be shaped and molded through years of perceptions and views. The culture is very difficult to change. Just about every possible factor within the organization in some way molds the culture. From inside factors such as job benefits to outside factors like the surrounding environment, everything is a possible factor in an organizational culture.
These factors may also be described as "artifacts." Artifacts are the "tangible aspects of an organization that people hear, see, or
References: Hansen R. Ph.D., (n.d.) Uncovering a Company 's Corporate Culture is a Critical Task for Job-Seekers, Retrieved online June 14, 2006 via: http://www.quintcareers.com/employer_corporate_culture.html Shivers-Blackwell, Sheryl. (Summer 2006)The influence of perceptions of organizational structure & culture on leadership role requirements: the moderating impact of locus of control & self-monitoring. In Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 12, p27(23). Retrieved June 18, 2006, from InfoTrac OneFile via Thomson Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/itx/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=ITOF&docId=A146434460&source=gale&userGroupName=uphoenixcustom&version=1.0 Zhang Z., Tsui A., Wang H., Xin K., (n.d.), Association between Leadership and Organizational Culture, Retrieved online June 16, 2006 via: http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:mttIOxtKEKgJ:www.iacmr.org/03-106.doc+Leaders+and+Organizational+Culture&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=5&client=firefox-a