ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors draw on the empirical case of Wetoka Health Unit (WHU) in Alberta, Canada, to shed light on the dynamics of creating and sustaining positive organizational relationships in two respects. First, the case shows how the persistent and focused long-term work of leaders in WHU fostered the creation of cultural symbolic forms that not only shaped, but also were shaped by the enactment of positive relationships. Second, the case shows how this interdependent dynamic between culture and positive relationships resourced the ability of WHU leaders to navigate a situation of change that required that they dissolve their own organization but carry on their work. The authors begin by providing the conceptualizations of positive relationships and culture that inform their analytic work. Then, they portray the dynamics of creating and sustaining positive relationships in the case of WHU, and end the chapter with a discussion of future research possibilities.
