GRAVES’ CULTURAL LEADERSHIP THEORY
Use to identify the dominant culture in your organisation.
Desmond Graves argues that organisational culture can be understood by looking at the character of the people who run the organisation. He identifies four possible cultures:
Source: Adapted from Graves, D., Corporate Culture: Diagnosis and Change: Auditing and Changing the Culture of Organizations (Palgrave Macmillan, 1986).
Pharaonic cultures are dominated by individuals. They are bureaucratic and ego-driven. Cultural leadership is maintained through a passionate respect for status, rituals and order.
Barbarian cultures are dominated by a sense of foreboding. They are ego-driven and anti-bureaucratic. Cultural leadership is maintained through a mixture of uncertainty, terror and charm.
Presidential cultures are bureaucratic and concerned with democracy, status and coordination. Cultural leadership is maintained through consideration of needs and aspirations of the people.
Monarchical cultures are anti-bureaucratic and dominated by a belief in the absolute authority of the leader. Cultural leadership is maintained through the unquestionable loyalty of followers.
In offering these stereotypes, Graves suggests that symbolic leadership is one way of encouraging people that they are working for something worthwhile.
HOW TO USE IT
- As with the discussions on Handy (see Theory 47) and Deal and Kennedy (see Theory 48) you’ll have to identify the culture that is dominant in your organisation and decide if you are happy to remain working there. Use personal reflections to do this.
- Use both personality tests and job interviews to recruit people who can prosper in your organisation’s culture.
- If your team or organisation is new, it may have assumed the characteristic of a barbarian culture; one which leans towards a dog-eat-dog approach. This culture is more suited to winning business rather than retaining it. Sooner or later, you will need to modify the culture in order to create stability and structure.
- A Pharaonic culture might favour creativity and imagination but not the emancipation of its workforce. It is one where position and following the correct procedures are likely to be valued. In times of rapid change you will need to adopt a new approach.
- Presidential cultures are less ego-driven than the Barbarian and Pharaonic cultures but status, cooperation and a desire to take into account the needs of the staff can make it slow moving and cumbersome. In a time of crisis you will have to adopt a more directive approach.
- Monarchical cultures are epitomised by loyalty to the ruler. In many organisations this is the founder. But as the organisation grows it will become impossible for one person to run the show and they will have to share power with others.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
- Does the existing culture serve the needs of the organisation?
- If the culture is inappropriate what changes can I make?