The nature of Authority - according to the great sociologist Max Weber - can be traditional-sacred (as occurs in religious institutions, monarchies and, even in family groups), rational-legal (as is common in the companies and governments) and charismatic (notably in political parties, but also in companies). Many psychologists have approached the power of this charisma in their leadership and influence archetypes, in an interminable debate on dealing with a trait that people are born with or acquire.
In the entrepreneurial context intended for developing culture, the leadership role is critical, and certainly exceeds the possibilities of charisma. It is clear that charismatic leaders have a well-known capacity for mobilizing groups. Nevertheless, I will deal with the exercise of leadership from the rational-legal perspective, disregarding its entire impact on the semiotic group that expresses basic values, beliefs, norms and purpose of a social group.
In the initial stage of cultural formation, after the early leaders have shared their own social repertoires, once the group has internalized and tried out this repertoire in practice, after leaders and subordinates have gotten it right or wrong in applying these principles, the group at last legitimizes a certain refined set of values, beliefs and thoughts as their own social references.
As culture takes shape like a political symbolic process in a permanent interactive dynamic of dispute, transformation and domination, in the event leaderships are able to preserve their power, they will continue to influence culture.
Throughout the process of cultural development, leaders assume a basic role in the use of primary and secondary mechanisms that can assure consistency in this evolution.
Leaders, whether consciously or not, use powerful mechanisms of cultural fixation:
- Focus of attention, measurement and control by leaders;
. Ways leaderships react in face of crises and critical events;
. Natural behavior of leaders in different interactions with teams;
. Criteria adopted in defining acknowledgements and social status;
. Criteria adopted in selection, promotion, dismissal and retirement.
Moreover, leaders also use secondary f articulation and reinforcement mechanisms:
. Organizational design.
. Internal policies and procedures.
. Physical environment.
. Set of legends and myths.
. Symbolic devices.
. Formal codes of corporate conduct.
. Institutional manifestos.
In this way, leaderships shape the culture of a social group.
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Daniel Augusto Motta, PhD, MSc
Founder & CEO BMI Blue Management Institute
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