Organizational culture: the silent political force.

Organizational cultures are affected by, and affect, organization politics. Underlying all cultures is the values of the individuals in the organization. These need to be identified and understood by anyone who seeks to influence or change behaviors. This article describes a series of studies done to increase the understanding of values of professional nurses. The results point out differences between specialties, organizations, and communities that can help leaders make better decisions in areas ranging from staffing to leadership styles, while assisting colleagues in the expression of their authentic selves.