Every organization has a natural life cycle it progresses through over the course of its existence. As an organization progresses through its life cycle many things can change including motives and values. (Schein, 2010, p. 145) Being aware of these culture shifts anticipating the necessary changes needed to meet these shifts is vital for any leader. The reality is every organization faces these culture shifts at one time or another, and an adverse attitude to change by leadership can lead to heavy risks and consequences.
One consequence a lack of change by leaders can have is the natural end to the organizational life cycle, which results in the death of the organization. If left unattended, an organization will naturally progress through the life cycle where heavy focus on hierarchy traits can be present. A shift to hierarchy traits tends to present initially in the aristocratic stage (Finzel, 2013) where the need for control takes over and an overemphasis on structure, organization, and process squeezes out traits of the adhocracy and clan cultures. (Cameron, 2011) Without change, the inevitable end is for the organization to get lost in the bureaucracy and begin the slow process of dying.
On the other end of the spectrum, organizations early on in their life cycles tend to be dominated by the adhocracy culture lacking a high degree of formal structure. (Cameron, 2011) This serves the purposes of a young organization well because it allows for flexibility and creativity. However, there is an inevitable point where the organization grows to need more formality. (Cameron, 2011) If an organization fails to recognize the need to change, the organization will consistently run up against a ceiling of growth and not move beyond the adolescent stage. (Finzel, 2013)
Change can be difficult, but lack of change can be deadly.
References
Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2011). Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework (3 edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Finzel, H. (2013). The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make (New edition). David C. Cook.
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
