Environmental (Culture Based) Leadership
Leading Organizational Culture in an Era of Change – Part I by: Arthur F. Carmazzi
In a world where information travels faster than ever, the expectations of work and leaders have changed significantly in just a few years, and with those expectations, the emotions and motivations that affect our jobs and our lives. The goal… to develop leaders rather than followers.
With so much distraction and instant emotional gratification, the average employee waits to be told what to do, they do not see, feel, or understand the bigger picture of their role in an organization. Some Leaders chalk it up to “Poor Attitude” or “Mentally Challenged” employees. The reality may be more a Poor Environment created by leaders unaware of the new psychology of a modern society. To cultivate leaders in an organization, and lead them to greater achievement, a new psychological form of leadership called “Environmental Leadership” must be applied.
Each individual has various environments that bring out different facets from their own Identity, and each is successful in one area or another. The key is the emotionally charged perceptions within each environment… The Environmental Leader creates a platform through education and awareness where individuals fill each other’s emotional gratifications and become more conscious of when, and how they affect the group dynamics in positive or negative ways. This sets the foundation for the cultivation of a unified culture where people “feel” they are an important part of a greater goal, and their role in attaining that goal also serves them on a personal level.
In essence, an Environmental Leader is the sculpture of an Organizational Culture that promotes confidence and responsibility to act on what needs to be done to achieve the organizational objectives in the way dictated by the culture.
Environmental (Culture Based) Leadership is not about changing the mindset of the group or individual, but in the cultivation of an environment or culture that brings out the best and inspires the individuals in that group. It is not the ability to influence others to do something they are not committed to, but rather to nurture a culture that motivates and even excites individuals to do what is required for the benefit of all. It is not carrying others to the end result, but setting the surrounding for developing qualities in them to so they may lead each other.
This leader implements a psychological support system within a group that fills the emotional and developmental needs of the group while nurturing self leadership within that group.
The path to becoming an Environmental Leader however, is founded on a bed of self discovery and laid with the tiles of group psychology. Only when we have an understanding of how “we”, as a leader, affect the “system” of a group, and how that system affects us, then can we evolve to Environmental Leadership.
At a glance it may seem a daunting journey, yet this path has a structure, a structure in the application of Directive Communication Psychology to influence the group’s system. And as with any structure, it can be followed to create a specific result.
The first step is to realize that every action you take, every decision you make, no matter how small, will affect the group and will the organizational culture. Whether it is positive or negative, there will be an effect.
Second thing is that when any individual in a group reacts, it will affect you and each of the other members of that group, and this a corporate culture is created.
Since a leader’s actions and reactions not only affect the psychology of individuals, but affect the entire culture of the organisation or group, an Environmental leader manages 7 key psychological influences (2 keys of personal awareness and 5 pillars of Transformation) to cultivate a group and culture that effectively supports the greater abilities and fulfillment, even passion, of the members of that group, and nurtures leadership within.
A fundamental of any leadership has always been trust. And while there are many facets of trust and how to build it, one crucial area is in sharing what you know. First, start with this article. The “group” dynamics are best suited by getting the “group” involved. The Environmental leader does not develop followers but nurtures leaders and leadership in their group or organisation. To facilitate this, the knowledge of how to be an Environmental Leader must be disseminated throughout. The more people understand the essence of becoming an Environmental Leader, the easier it becomes to cultivate a Leadership enriched environment, and the better results everyone will attain.