Leadership, personal values and organizational culture

Organizational culture creates a sense of identity and belonging for employees and also has importance in desired organizational behaviors by overlapping organizational values with individual values (Smircich, Administrative Science Quarterly, 28, 339-358, 1983). On the other hand, the individual values, beliefs, anticipations, attitudes, behaviors and actions that employees have are considered important factors in shaping and adopting organizational culture (Daft, Organizational theory and design. West Publishing, 1986). Values are immensely substantial with regard to influencing organizational dynamics, especially at a management level (Chusmir and Parker, Journal of Social Psychology, 132, 87-100, 1992). Personal values set standards about thought and sense unclear besides shaping the decisions and behaviors of managers thus constituting an ideology and consequently an organizational culture (Russell, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 22, 76-84, 2001). Because of the mentioned critical importance, this study aims to holistically examine the association among culture, leadership, and values. For that purpose, this chapter continues in the following manner; (i) The importance of organizational culture and effect on the decisions and behaviors in an organization (ii) Elements contributing to organizational culture (iii) Personal values and importance within management (iv) Leadership and association with organizational culture, and finally, (v) The effects of a leader's personal value on organizational culture.