Leadership & Management Reading for Lesson 27: Characteristics of the Situation

Lesson 27 Reading Objectives Apply Schein’s four key organizational factors to the analysis of an organization’s culture. Comprehend organizational culture and list some phenomena associated with the culture of organizations. Comprehend the traditional military paradigm and its affect on the culture of the U.S. military. Comprehend qualities of “supportive” command climates. Comprehend command climate and identify the biggest threat to trust in the chain of command.

Lesson 27 Discussion Objectives Apply Schein’s four key organizational factors to the analysis of an organization’s culture. Comprehend organizational culture and list some phenomena associated with the culture of organizations.

Schein’s 4 Key Organizational Factors Myths and Stories. Symbols and artifacts. Rituals. Language: Who “belongs.” View of others. Create a culture.

Organizational Culture A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved problems…that has worked well enough to be considered valid…taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problems.

Organizational Culture A group has a culture when they have enough of a shared history to have formed a set of shared assumptions.

Cultural Phenomena Behavior regularities. Group norms. Espoused values. Formal philosophy. Rules of the game.

Cultural Phenomena Climate. Embedded skills. Habits of thinking. Shared meanings. “Root” metaphors.

Traditional Military Paradigm The combat, masculine warrior. Structures and forces built around combat activities. Image of military = Image of combat. Soldiering is defined by society as “men’s work.”

“Supportive” Command Climate Pervasive sense of mission. Common agreement on top priorities. Clear standards. Competence is appreciated. Willingness to share information. Sense of fair play. Joy in teamwork. Sure sense of rationality and trust.

Command Climate Defined: a unit’s atmosphere of support, confidence or cohesion (or their opposite) created by the commander’s acts and example. Biggest Threat: the leader may coerce or use his subordinates for his private gain. (Getting to the top—by stepping on your troops.)