ABSTRACT
Culture within our organizations is both a dynamic phenomenon that surrounds us at all times, being constantly enacted and created by our interactions with others and shaped by leadership behavior, and a static set of structures, routines, rules, and norms, that guide and constrain behavior. Examining how leaders interact with the cultural environment of our organizations is important to understanding how leadership actually works. This chapter defines the cultural environment as an organization's shared beliefs and values, as well as symbolic demonstrations of these beliefs and values, as portrayed through behavior, written materials, and visible artifacts, including the language and descriptions provided by leaders. It explores how collective, values, norms, and beliefs within institutions are expressed by leaders through their perceptions of how they engage their roles within the environment. The SSAOs’ interactions and role priorities by institutional types were reviewed, revealing some common and interesting patterns.
