CULTURAL LEADERSHIP
Managers transact all their outcomes entirely within the internal culture of their organisation. Often
successful navigation of work culture by managers is their unique advantage over their competitors and
is often measurable in cheaper prices, better service, quicker turnaround times and returning customers.
These days managers not only have to be content experts, they need to negotiate with their internal
networks to make multiple transactions within the organisation. These transactions should not only fit
into its very distinctive and certainly ingrained work culture, but also meet the needs of the external
client base.
In its widest definition, culture is a set of key values, beliefs, understandings and norms common to a
group of people within an environment. Work Culture is all of that applied to an organisation.
Culture can be seen on a visible level – dress, symbols, slogans, ceremonies. It can be as apparent as
the office layout. It is a mistake though, for a manager to be complacent with a ‘she’ll be right, that’s
how it’s always worked here’ attitude, because culture is usually embedded within any workplace
through shared values, underlying assumptions and often, deeply felt beliefs.
The workplace culture sets the emotional temperature of an organisation. We have all had experiences
of workplaces that are angry and maladaptive, as well as places where respect and inclusion make it a
pleasure to go to work. This is culture at work.
Module 1
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Culture generally works through a set of mechanisms. These are:
• Symbols. Objects, acts or events that convey a specific meaning to others. This can be
as simple as ‘Employee of the Month’ or a ‘Bloopers’ Trophy. It must be real and it must
be genuine and meaningful.
• Stories. ‘Celebrating every victory no matter how small’ is a good way of incorporating a
narrative into the workplace. Storytelling is a great way of enshrining values and beliefs
and testing underlying assumptions. Team or staff meetings and newsletters are good
places to honour these stories.
• Heroes. People who are well known and respected within an organisation and who are
considered to display the set of attributes and attitudes that reflect the corporate culture of
an organisation are its heroes. Often the hero is the founder, inventor or salesman,
someone who has made a breakthrough in tough times – sometimes even the tea lady can
be a hero.
• Slogans. This applies to a set of words and phrases that express shared workplace values.
This can be as glib as ‘Woolworths the Fresh Food People’, or it can be as focused as
‘Marketing – the Overachievers’ to signify shared values with the rest of the organisation.
In every case, they are most effective when they are true.
• Ceremonies. A significant event that reinforces shared values and acknowledges the key
participation of employees. It might be an awards presentation at the Christmas Party or
it may be a ten year service pin. A celebration should be made so that respect and
acknowledgement are the messages sent.
Good managers use all of these opportunities as ways of communicating value, respect, inclusion and
acknowledgement.
Managers may be described as effective cultural leaders when they are using a full set of words,
symbols, stories, slogans, heroes and ceremonies within their communication with others. In reality,
anyone who defines and communicates the core values of an organisation is a cultural leader. The role
of the manager is to keep the focus on this shared vision as part of everyone’s everyday activity.
MORE THOUGHTS
Communication, in all its forms, is the human face of an organisation. It is its thoughts, words, symbols,
signs, body language, tone and message. As managers, innovation and change starts internally with
our own thoughts and feelings, then those of our work colleagues and on to the outside world.
It is all about what people see, hear and feel in, and about, their workplace. It is how they interpret and
understand your messages that will inform their opinions and actions. Your success as a manager will
be in direct relation to your ability to use communication tools to make your message understood and
accepted – first time, every time.
Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so
constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them. (Hawken et al, 1999)
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Kay, John, 1993, Foundations of Corporate Success, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Hawken, Paul, Lovins, Amory B & Lovins, L Hunter, 1999, Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next
Industrial Revolution. Little, Brown & Company, United States.
Mintzberg, H, 1999, ‘Managing quietly’, Leader to Leader, Vol 12, pp. 224-230.
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Cengage Learning..
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