This discussion and examples show that top level leaders are more than just internal functionaries or external public relations representatives. Effective leaders at this level have several responsibilities. First, they must know and consider the factors and forces of the environment. Second, they must know, consider, and be able to influence their organizations’ internal factors and forces. Third, they must be able to reasonably balance, integrate, and harmonize the two while
leading their organizations toward productive goals. How well leaders perform this third and final responsibility depends, to some measure, on how well they understand the basic tenets of organization theory.