Organisations Need Strong Leaders and Strong Culture
“Organisations need strong leaders and a strong culture.” Discuss this statement in relation to how we understand and make sense of leadership and culture in the post-bureaucratic era.
“A company’s culture is often buried so deeply inside rituals, assumptions, attitudes, and values that it becomes transparent to an organisation’s members only when, for some reason, it changes.” (Rob Goffee, 1952). A company needs a strong culture, or it will not be successful. “The culture” dictates how people relate, how they feel in an organisation, and even how well they produce. To create such a unique culture a strong leaders’ presence is a must. There are different opinions in the meaning of the term “leader” or “leadership”. Most people would consider being a leader is a simple task. “Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organisation. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning” (Warren G. Bennis). This article will critically evaluate the understanding and meaning of leadership and culture, and also compare and contrast the bureaucratic and the post-bureaucratic era.
What is post/bureaucracy?
Bureaucratic organisations are based upon rules and hierarchy of the structure where poor employee motivation, inertia are common. According to Max Weber, bureaucratic structures are the most efficient models. The structure is centralised with well-defined line of authority with clear rules and regulations. Only one way flow of decision making and communication is followed by the leaders. Only formal relations are present based on positions and not on personalities. Post bureaucracy is a very broad term. The model is based upon elements such as trust, shared responsibility, empowerment and personal treatment. It captures the range of organisational changes which have as their espoused aim the erosion or dismantling of
“A company’s culture is often buried so deeply inside rituals, assumptions, attitudes, and values that it becomes transparent to an organisation’s members only when, for some reason, it changes.” (Rob Goffee, 1952). A company needs a strong culture, or it will not be successful. “The culture” dictates how people relate, how they feel in an organisation, and even how well they produce. To create such a unique culture a strong leaders’ presence is a must. There are different opinions in the meaning of the term “leader” or “leadership”. Most people would consider being a leader is a simple task. “Good leaders make people feel that they’re at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organisation. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning” (Warren G. Bennis). This article will critically evaluate the understanding and meaning of leadership and culture, and also compare and contrast the bureaucratic and the post-bureaucratic era.
What is post/bureaucracy?
Bureaucratic organisations are based upon rules and hierarchy of the structure where poor employee motivation, inertia are common. According to Max Weber, bureaucratic structures are the most efficient models. The structure is centralised with well-defined line of authority with clear rules and regulations. Only one way flow of decision making and communication is followed by the leaders. Only formal relations are present based on positions and not on personalities. Post bureaucracy is a very broad term. The model is based upon elements such as trust, shared responsibility, empowerment and personal treatment. It captures the range of organisational changes which have as their espoused aim the erosion or dismantling of