Cultural Nuances and the Optimization of Innovation

Altering organizational culture is “a means to achieving greater managerial control or enhancing organizational performance” (Hatch, 2004, p. 2) Cultural change is a large piece within the entire puzzle of change. Change cannot take place within any environment unless the culture therein is changed. Culture is “a pattern of fundamental assumptions developed by the organization for dealing with problems of internal and external adaptation (Schein, 1985, 1996)” (Gilkey, 1999). Incorporating everyone into change is critical for the success of change. “Policies can go only so far in changing the culture of an organization” there needs to be a focus on organizational structure, and what barriers exist to teamwork, efficiency and productivity (Paslidis, 2008). Within change there is both chaos and stability. “One key to unlocking the dynamics of organizational culture is to understand that, at a given moment, culture is changing only in parts, other parts remain stable” (Hatch, 2004, p.8). Herskovits (1964) stated that “the broad stream which comprises any culture has varied currents, of which now some, now others will be more rapid” (Hatch, 2004), p. 8). The interior of an organization has its culture in the form of a stream and the exterior of an organization has its culture in the form of an ocean. The ocean is constantly providing a source to the stream and so the constant flow of culture and change is never ending always influencing one another and forcing adaptation and innovation to occur.

Reference:

Gilkey, R.W. (1999). The 21^st century health care leader. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Hatch, M.J. (2004). Dynamics in Organizational Culture. New Direction in the Study of Organizational Change and Innovation Processes. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved September 24, 2008 from http://www.commerce.virginia.edu/faculty_research/Research/Papers/Hatch_Dynamics_Organizational_Culture.pdf.

Paslidis, N.J. (2008). Wake-up call leads to organizational transformation. Physician Executive, 34.4 (July-August 2008): p. 28(5). Retrieved September 24, 2008 from Gale PowerSeach.

Transformational Leadership

Steven Covey says of transformational leadership that the “goal… is to “transform” people and organizations in a literal sense – to change them in mind and heart; enlarge vision, insight, and understanding; clarify purposes; make behavior congruent with beliefs, principles, or values; and bring about changes that are permanent, self-perpetuating, and momentum building.” My goal is to continually learn, to always be open to experience, stretch myself, be flexible, ask questions, practice vigilance, never settle, and to positively engage others. I hope that by living my life in such a way that I am always seeking to learn, change, and grow that I am able to do what is right in my life, in leadership, and to always seek to bring about positive change for myself and others. My desire is to be encouraging and supportive to others, to be individually considerate, and to empower others to be active participants in the midst of constant change. I will apply transformational leadership in my business by keeping relationships as the foundational structure to which all else springs forth as a result and I will apply innovation by being environmentally vigilant, always seeking to instill new processes, perfecting old processes, and taking risks to try new methods.