How Leadership Influences Organizational Culture

Since Edgar Schein published his seminal work Organizational Culture and Leadership, leaders and researchers have engaged in a constant dialogue about the importance of culture, the ways to build culture, and the differences between a positive and toxic culture. But surprisingly little has been said about the question “how does leadership influence organizational culture?”

It’s not that no one talks about it.

It’s just that most attempts at building a positive culture focus on visible artifacts or perks and benefit programs. But culture isn’t a foosball table in the office and it’s not your flashy new vacation policy. Those things can be important, but they don’t impact culture as much as the actions and behaviors of leaders at all levels.

So, in this article, we’ll outline the six ways leaders influence organizational culture…which ironically were outlined by Schein himself in the very same book.

Who They Hire

The first way leaders influence organizational culture is in who they hire. Who is let into the organization has a massive effect on how the organization’s culture changes or doesn’t change. Examining candidates based solely on credentials or past success can add talent. But if that talent is also toxic, then the culture suffers. In addition…