How does leadership determine culture during organizational integration?

This work examines cultural misalignment as a core change leadership challenge during the integration of two commercial real estate firms. Drawing on Lewin’s change model, Ward’s Leadership Lifecycle, and Groysberg and Slind’s communication framework, this work analyzes leadership behaviors, communication styles, and employee experiences throughout the merger. Findings show that top-down, authoritative leadership undermined trust, inclusion, and retention, highlighting the need for participatory, systems-oriented approaches to cultural integration and sustainable organizational change.