Values, communication and leadership : an organizational perspective on their relationship

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When examining organizational values, communication and leadership, how can therelationship between them be defined? This thesis approaches the problem by examiningthe literature in this field during the past ten years that deals with these three conceptsboth in theory and in practice. The relationship postulated to exist is defined as one inwhich leaders are being challenged to communicate the values of the organization in orderto focus its members and the organization to a common purpose.An organization that shares a common values system is more successful than onewithout a coherent values system, and when these values are aligned to values acceptableto society the organization may be perceived as acceptable and thus attains a certainlegitimacy. Leaders who share the value systems of their subordinates are similarlyaccepted and legitimised. The mutual resonance between the values communicated byleaders and those embodied in the organization is crucial, since a discrepancy leads todistrust of the messages being communicated with concommitant loss of effectiviness.Effective communication is, after all, the cornerstone of the organization as it is onlythrough communication that the purpose of the organization can be shared and realized.Leaders in organizations can thus use the knowledge of the existence of suchreso~ance to effectively communicate their vision to their subordinates; to disseminate thevalues of the organization and to enable the organization to grow and prosper.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University