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creative. He communicated and modeled from day 1 his view of the people
and organization he wanted. Dick knew what he expected of himself and of
others—the type of work culture from which the employees and the corpora-
tion could benefit—and he succeeded. He got the type of people he wanted
and got rid of the malcontents and nonperformers. Now let’s look at how you
can translate resistance to renewal.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR
ORGANIZATION’S CULTURE: A PREREQUISITE
TO ORGANIZATIONAL RENEWAL
In recent years the social sciences have viewed groups and work systems in
new ways. One key finding has been that, like societies, businesses and other
types of organizations have their own cultures. In its simplest form, one could
define organizational culture by answering the question, “What’s it really like
around here?” In Chapter 7 we introduced culture as a key diagnostic target
in helping you understand your new organization. As you assume leadership,
you will have to understand your organization’s culture in much greater detail.
This knowledge is a prerequisite to organizational renewal and needs to be a
priority as you move into your new position and continue in your first year.
The following three concepts are important in understanding organiza-
tional culture.
1. Whenever People Live or Work Together, They Form a Culture
Culture is a complex web of traditions, values, beliefs, behaviors, and expec-
tations that exist on an everyday basis. Culture should not be mistaken for the
organizational climate, which tends to be transitory and shorter term. Culture
describes the social, emotional, and psychological foundation on which deci-
sions are made and actions occur. Companies with strong cultures model by
example, matching their guiding principles and vision with the reality of daily
behavior. In your new leadership role, you have the opportunity to set the tone
from the top, to act consistently with what you communicate to others. What
you emphasize is important.
2. Every Culture Develops Its Own Behavioral Norms
Every culture has unwritten expectations and ways of doing things, called
norms, that are major determinants of the behavior within that work culture.