EDGAR SCHEIN CORPORATE

CULTURE & LEADERSHIP

By Manoj Divakaran

EDGAR SCHEIN LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Edgar Henry Schein (born 1928)
Education
Ph.D., social psychology, Harvard University, 1952
Master's Degree, Psychology, Stanford University, 1949
University of Chicago
Notable contribution to organizational development in many areas,
including career development, group process consultation, and
organizational culture.
Generally credited with inventing the term "corporate culture".
Authored 14 books, including
Organizational Psychology (1980),
Career Dynamics (1978),
Organizational Culture and Leadership (1985, 1992, 2004),
Process Consultation Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 (1969, 1987, 1988),
The Corporate Culture Survival Guide (1999)

Consulting for major corporations, such as

Digital Equipment Corporation,
Ciba-Geigy,
Apple,
Citibank,
Procter & Gamble,
ICI, ,
Alcoa,
Motorola,
Hewlett-Packard,
Exxon/Shell/ AMOCO/ British Petroleum,
Con Edison,
The Economic Development Board of Singapore
The International Atomic Energy Agency.

SCHEIN ON CORPORATE CULTURE AND

LEADERSHIP

The only thing of real importance that

leaders do is to create and manage
culture. If you do not manage culture, it
manages you, and you may not even be
aware of the extent to which this is
happening.

WHAT IS CORPORATE CULTURE?

More

than the way we do things around

here
Culture

is the sum total of all the shared,

taken-for-granted assumptions that a
group has learned throughout its history

the

residue of success

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IS
Deep:

culture controls you more than you control culture

Advice: Handle with respect & care.

Broad:

Involves all aspects of its external and internal

relationships
Advice: Have specific focus/reason for understanding
it.

Stable:

Culture provides meaning and makes life predictable.

Advice: Know that culture change will rock the boat,
terrify the crew.

SCHEINS CAREER ANCHORS

Your Career Anchor represents your unique
combination of perceived career competence,
motives, and values.

EIGHT CAREER ANCHORS

Technical/Functional competence
Likes being good at something and will work to become a guru or expert. doing
the job properly and better than almost anyone else.
General Managerial competence
They want to be managers (and not just to get more money), like problemsolving and dealing with other people. They thrive on responsibility.
Autonomy/Independence
They avoid standards and prefer to work alone.
Security/Stability
Seek stability and continuity as a primary factor. generally 'lifers.
Entrepreneurial Creativity
like to invent things, to run their own businesses. They easily get bored. Wealth,
for them, is a sign of success.
Service/Dedication to a cause
Help other people more than using their talents
Pure Challenge
Seek constant stimulation and difficult problems that they can tackle.
Lifestyle
Focused first on lifestyle, Integrate work and life. They may take long periods off
work to indulge in passions.

THANK YOU
Efforts never fail!