Reframing Organizations, 4th ed.

Chapter 13

Organizational Culture in Action

Organizational Culture in Action

The Eagle Group’s Sources of Success Leading Principles

The Eagle Group’s Sources of Success Why do some groups produce extraordinary

results while others produce little or nothing? Play, spirit and culture are at the core of peak

performance

Sources of cultural success I

How someone becomes a group member is important

Diversity provides a team’s competitive advantage

Examples, not command, holds a team together

A specialized language fosters cohesion and commitment

Sources of cultural success (II)

Stories carry history and values and reinforce group identity

Humor and play reduce tension and encourage creativity

Ritual and ceremony lift spirits and reinforce values

Sources of cultural success (III)

Informal cultural players make contributions disproportionate to their formal roles

Soul is the secret of success

Conclusion

Symbolic perspectives questions traditional views on team building Right structure and people are important, but

not sufficient The essence of high performance is spirit Banishing play, ceremony and myth would

destroy teamwork, not create it Team building at its heart is a spiritual

undertaking: peak performance emerges as a team discovers its soul