Send to KindleIn the last post, I discussed the Anything Goes and The Boss is God leadership cultures. This time I’ll discuss the Everyone for Themselves, and the Status Quo cultures.
Everyone for Themselves
This culture represents a big problem. No one is looking out for the good of the organization, but instead is concentrating on what they can get for themselves. The Everyone for Themselves culture is much more prevalent than leaders like to admit. It also can be present as a subculture of other cultures, especially Lockstep, where strict hierarchal structures may hide the problem.
Effects On Leadership Development
Oddly enough, it can be fairly easy for leaders to develop in this culture. The problem is, they may be the wrong leaders and they may learn the wrong lessons. One of the behaviors that is prevalent in the Everyone for Themselves culture is careerism, as subordinates are blatantly pursuing their own interests at the expense of the organization. Leadership development is the best way to fix this organization. Once this culture has been allowed to develop and thrive it is quite difficult to change. Once the leader realizes this culture exists, definite and even harsh measures may be required as people are used to having things their way. A good way to deal with this culture is to bring in new subordinate leaders while at the same time training new leaders from within the organization. These leaders must be taught to balance their own needs and desires with that of the organization. At the same time, the leader must take positive steps to either bring current leaders in line or replace them.
Effects On Strategic Planning
This is actually a fairly easy culture in which to do strategic planning; if the senior leader undertakes two very important tasks. First, he or she must make subordinate leaders understand the plan is to help the organization improve, which will benefit everyone. Second, he or she must make every effort to get the leadership team to work together as this culture usually suffers from serious distrust. Interestingly, people in this culture are often looking for good leadership. Creating a strategic plan gives the leader an opportunity to enhance the leadership team’s position and authority while giving the organization something to strive for that’s bigger than themselves.
Status Quo
In this organization, everyone is happy with how things are and aren’t interested in change. This is common in many organizations and is also a very common leadership subculture. The Status Quo culture tends to develop when an organization has become stagnant. This can also be a subculture of Lockstep when the senior leaders don’t keep lower levels energized to improve. Status Quo is similar to Everything Goes in that most people have reached a level they are comfortable with and don’t want to change.
Effects On Leadership Development
Aspiring leaders may find this organization frustrating. Members may see emerging leaders as a threat to their comfortable existence and try to hold them back. On the other hand members of the organization who have leadership ambitions will likely feel they need to leave the organization to advance.
Effects On Strategic Planning
This is a tough culture to work with; however, the rewards can be great. The senior leader should be careful to present the plan as a positive step forward that is based on what the organization has already done. The people in this organization are comfortable with the way things are and new goals will be a threat to their comfort. Enthusiasm for the process and the potential results is imperative. Though it’s important to not to threaten formal leader’s positions, it may be useful to tap the informal leaders to help champion the idea and potential of the new strategic plan.
Next time, One Decision Maker and Give and Take.
This post is taken from the mini-book Leadership Culture and Its Effect on Strategic Planning and Leadership Development. Learn more at http://www.planleadexcel.com/Products/copypreptolead.html.
