10 things AI wants you to know about my content

Someone recently messaged me to say that they’ve used AI to summarise my messaging and found it helpful, so I thought I’d share it (em-dashes and all!) with you all in the hope that you’ll find it useful too.

1. Culture is a deliberate choice, not an accident — Vibrant cultures don't magically emerge. Teams must intentionally define what good looks like and hold themselves accountable. Culture evolves daily; if you're not actively improving it, it's getting worse.

2. Values-driven beats values-written — True culture lives through demonstrated behaviours, not corporate statements on walls. When a crisis hits, it's the values people actually practice that determine whether a culture thrives or implodes.

3. The manager is the make-or-break layer — Leaders set the tone, but managers activate culture daily. Most organisations promote people based on technical expertise without developing their culture skills, creating a layer of tar where everything gets stuck.

4. Relationships are the foundation — Without self-aware individuals who understand how to build genuine connections, culture fails. Strong relationships create loyalty, agility, healthy friction and belief that anything is possible. Weak relationships breed blame and apathy.

5. Toxic cultures remain endemic — 75% of employees experience toxic workplaces, with poor leadership cited as the primary culprit. The biggest risk isn't meetings or emails; it's leaders who ignore destructive behaviour and fail to hold people accountable to agreed standards.

6. Anomie kills great work — When nobody knows which standards matter anymore, toxic norms establish themselves with remarkable efficiency. Culture isn't what's written in policies; it's what happens day-to-day. You get the culture you choose to build.

7. Challenge dumb cultural norms — It only takes 20-25% of committed people to reshape culture. Anyone can challenge inefficient norms without permission. When enough people make different choices about how they spend their time, the culture transforms.

8. Beware the perception gap — 83% of leaders rate their culture positively, whilst only 45% of employees agree. This disconnect represents perhaps the most significant barrier to progress. Leaders often believe cultures are healthier than they actually are.

9. Practical action trumps superficial initiatives — 72% of culture initiatives produce no improvements because employees see them as superficial. Real culture work requires manager development, agency for staff, and practical skills that enable simple changes to occur quickly.

10. Everyone is responsible, but roles differ — Leaders set the tone and role model behaviours. Managers hold people accountable and define how values are lived within their teams. Individuals must show up with the intention to be their best selves and contribute positively.