3. This document is big.
Both in size and stature. It will take more than a few
minutes to read and more than a few moments to digest.
The imagery is intentionally vast and expansive so as to
open our hearts and minds to similar proportions.
It’s big because Culture is big. Understanding Culture in
the modern age is as essential as it is elusive. And as
such, requires deeper thought.
These days there are no safe bets, no sure things or
guaranteed winners. But similarly there are a wealth of
untold opportunities that lie in wait for the willing.
My hope is that this document poses more questions than
it answers. Think of it less like a prescription and more like
an invitation. To a bold new world that you and your
people are intentionally creating.
Welcome to the Art and Science of Vibe Design.
The Cultural Architect mykeldixon.com3 of 38
5. Why Culture?
The Challenge
It’s The Vibe
From Functional To Famous
The Cultural Architect
5 Characteristics Of A Cultural Architect
About The Author
Just Do 5omething
Table Of Contents
7
9
11
13
21
23
36
37
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7. Are you actively working to shift, enhance or transform
your company’s culture?
You should be. In the modern economic climate, your
culture will make or break your company.
Attracting top talent, maintaining employee engagement
and sustaining business growth have always been key
priorities for every organisation. But today's workers seek
meaning over money, autonomy over authority and
community alongside collaboration.
Workplace culture has never been so important and yet so
misunderstood.
Emerging digital trends, changing lifestyle preferences and
a growing number of employment alternatives are
transforming the way we feel about our work. To succeed
in such a complex and ambiguous environment, we
require a fresh approach.
Many companies are turning to Big Data hoping to solve,
predict or avoid cultural challenges, but the savvy few are
adopting principles and practices that better suit and
serve the contemporary worker.
This paper introduces a new framework for understanding
workplace culture. It is full of insight, ideas and inspiration
you can use to explore, articulate and enhance the culture
of your company.
But it asks us to stretch beyond what we've already seen,
heard or done. Many of the skills, behaviours and
mindsets now required, have previously been laughed or
locked out of the boardroom.
Make no mistake, the game has changed and the stakes
have never been higher. But this is a game worth playing
and you'll need every advantage you can get.
Whether you are the CEO, head of HR, Community
Manager or passionate Cultural Advocate, this paper will
arm you with the necessary tools to lead a cultural
(r)evolution in your organisation.
Today.
why culture?
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9. Before setting off on any new cultural initiative it’s best
to remember, no one likes change. It’s hard wired into
our DNA to avoid, ignore or resist it. But unless your
organisation is already soaring through cultural nirvana,
it’s best you prepare for a little push back.
No challenge is insurmountable and with the right focus,
consistent effort and applied intent, in time they will be
overcome. Here are the three most common roadblocks
you’re likely to experience.
Been there. Done that.
Our company has already invested considerable
resources in a previous cultural initiative. From
expensive offsite events to refurbishing part of the office
as a now vacant ‘collaborative space’. There is always a
cultural skeleton in the closet, and most naysayers are
quick to remind us of our past efforts whenever we
attempt something new. This attitude makes it near
impossible to kickstart anything revolutionary or outside
of the box. “Heard it all before!”
Leadership Lip Service.
Despite acknowledging the importance of our
company’s culture, the leadership team is unwilling to
alter their behaviour when it counts. Inevitably their
inaction contaminates the entire company making it
extremely difficult to sustain any momentum. Before
long, everyone has a reliable and justifiable excuse for
not making any effort to change. ‘Monkey see, monkey
do’.
Nothing Sticks.
Once we’re up and running, if we (the cultural leader)
take our foot off the pedal, no one else steps up in our
place to build on the great work we've done. Without a
committed champion beside us it's only a short time
before things revert to how they’ve always been.
Leaving us burnt out, resigned and cynical about any
further attempts at cultural change. ‘What was the
point? Next time I won’t bother!’
The challenge
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11. Like it not, in the new world of business, workplace
culture is all about feeling.
The way your employees feel about themselves, about
each other, about the work they do and the organisation
as a whole, profoundly impacts the quality, quantity and
consistency of their output.
Similarly, the way your vendors, customers and
competitors feel about your company will define the
value, length and profitability of those relationships.
In other words, the way your business feels is now just
as important as what it does.
And the organisations brave enough to explore this with
enthusiasm and vigour will be the leaders in tomorrow's
business landscape.
But what does the feel of an organisation even mean?
Where do we start if we want to accentuate it? And how
on earth do we begin a conversation about the feel of
our business without alarming or alienating our
colleagues?
its the vibe
Most people are loathe to engage with this kind of
conversation as it sails against the status quo. It is often
more complex, confusing and confronting than we’re
used to.
But hidden within this tension lies an opportunity. An
invitation to build more than just a profitable business.
More than a productive, collaborative & innovative
workplace.
We now have the chance to build something that means
something. And as we continue through this document
we’ll come to see it’s become an essential strategy for
cultural success.
First we’ll diagnose your current culture. You’ll learn how
different cultures feel and uncover ways to move up the
aspirational ladder from functional to famous.
Then we’ll learn about who you must become if you are
to lead a cultural (r)evolution in your business. I’ll
introduce a new organisational archetype that is as
relevant as it is required to thrive in the modern era. I call
them The Cultural Architect and if you’re reading this
you’re already well on your way to becoming one.
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15. Failing
A failing culture is the antithesis of business success.
Like a shakespearean play our days are full of betrayal
and deceit, isolation and intimidation. No one enjoys
going to work and as a result the work suffers.
Departments toil in silos, information is withheld,
alliances form and seek to cripple anyone who strives to
shift the status quo.
But by far the most significant characteristic of a failing
culture is that it’s contagious. Like mould in the fruit
bowl it’s only a matter of time before it spreads beyond
your company walls to your customers, prospects and
competitors. Which is turn will have a profound impact
on your HR, brand awareness & customer loyalty.
The key to getting things moving is to contain the
problem asap. Make the case to your superior, call an
emergency conversation with your leadership or a full
team town meeting.
Speak up, make a stand and illuminate the impact of
such a harmful and damaging atmosphere. Not just on
the organisation but on yourself.
If you want to change it, first you have to name it.
Functional
A functional culture is full of passengers. Everyone is
happy taking in the view from the safety of their own
seat. No one thinks beyond their position. No one does
more than is required. No one really cares unless
something directly impacts their individual experience.
It is transactional, trite & tedious. An hours work for an
hours pay. Although there might not be visible signs of
strain, a functional culture is only a few short steps away
from ruin. If your culture is merely functional you can bet
your best talent are already having conversations with
recruiters.
Why? Because we hold an abundance of information at
our fingertips. All we have to do is turn on our phones to
see articles, interviews & recommendations for the best
places to work in town. Employers who give their
people more than just a paycheque are way better
positioned for prosperity.
The key to salvaging a functional culture is by building or
regaining trust. You must invite your employees into
your intent. Share courageously who you are, where
you’ve come from and what’s important to you.
Once people know your why it’s easier for them to
choose whether they want to help you get there.
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17. Fast
A fast culture is dynamic. Characterised by intelligent
systems and processes, they get s@#t done! They
push through whatever they have to, to deliver. Because
that’s what they value. Speed. Efficiency. Productivity.
The accelerated pace can be addictive. But riding the
frenetic force to complete all projects often results in
doing so at all costs. Fast is fast, but for how long.
Over time, the excitement will turn to exhaustion. Your
people will burn bridges or burn out. Their capacity for
collaboration will become restricted on account of the
relentless pursuit of high performance.
A fast culture doesn’t serve the long-term sustainability
of your business because it doesn’t serve the long-term
sustainability of your people.
The key to navigating this potentially harmful space is to
structure time to be human. Schedule the space for
everyone to recharge. Hold social events that take place
during office hours and please leave the phone alone
while you’re on lunch.
Expanding beyond a fast culture is not just putting bean
bag in the corner, it’s making it okay for people to use it.
Fun
Everybody loves a fun culture. Who wouldn’t? To spend
our days giggling and high fiving is the ultimate
incentive.
Beneath the good times, a fun culture is essentially
characterised by connection. People are engaged with
each other and their work. They feel safe enough to
share themselves and every workday is ripe with
intimacy, spontaneity and laughter.
Engaged employees are worth their weight in gold but
without a deeper purpose our people can develop a
preference for play and a resistance to reality.
In todays uncertain economic environment, disruption is
both real and inevitable. At some point, your company
and it’s culture will be tested.
The key is to harness your people’s positivity and
leverage it before you need it. Channeling their
creativity into specific business goals will build their
awareness of their impact. Invite their individual
expression and encourage them to infuse their
uniqueness into the space.
Your culture won’t just be positive, it will be progressive.
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19. Fluid
A fluid culture is equip for almost anything. Agile,
adaptable and abundant. It is responsive in nature and
characterised by what Nassim Nicholas Taleb calls,
‘Antifragile’. It grows stronger through disruption.
There is no resistance to change. It is anticipated,
accepted and embraced. When disaster strikes, the
team will reorganise itself in ways that best support the
company and the client. It is intuitive, resilient and self-
sustaining.
But still, there is room to grow. In order to elevate a fluid
culture to one that is famous you must radiate its
uniqueness beyond your company carpark.
Shine a spotlight on who you are and how you got
there. Share your cultural secrets with your customers &
competitors. Be bold with owning and showing your
essence as both individuals and a team.
Your people will begin to see that they are an integral
part of something bigger. Something meaningful.
They will unknowingly become cultural leaders in the
wider community and that is when the real magic
begins to unfold.
famous
A famous culture is an entirely new phenomenon.
Wonderfully distinct, fully actualised and entirely
emergent.
When your people are the living embodiment of your
company’s purpose; when they feel like custodians of
the cause; when they consistently live & work from their
own unique expression, your culture will flourish in
unforeseen ways.
Sure, the work you do will be innovative, collaborative
and progressive. You’ll become an employer of choice
and top talent will be queuing up to audition. Your
customers will become evangelists, your competitors
will seek to follow in your footsteps.
But none of that matters as much as it used to. Your
company, your community & your culture is now just a
vehicle for change. An instrument for transformation.
You care only about leveraging your influence and
maximising meaningful impact. And it’s magnificent.
Your people embrace that with great power comes
great responsibility. The world is now watching and
every decision you make contributes to your legacy
With this purposeful, intentional and life-affirming focus
your business & brand move beyond famous into the
eternal.
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21. Getting from functional to famous doesn’t happen by
accident. It takes something, or more specifically,
someone. Today’s organisations now require a new
breed of cultural leader.
Someone who can sense the unspoken, investigate the
intangible and architect the atmospheric landscape of
our workplace.
They could be the CEO but could just as easily be the
cleaner. They might have formal training or merely exhibit
a natural flair for understanding the human condition.
More often than not, it is the people who have ignored,
avoided or survived the corporate corridors that can
have the most impact. They possess a unique, organic &
integrated perspective that is as relevant as it is required
to foster authentic, collaborative & productive cultures.
I call this person, The Cultural Architect and they are
masters in the Art and Science of Vibe Design. Inspired
by Tim Leberecht’s remarkable Job Description for The
Business Romantic, I thought it might be easier to
articulate who they are and what they do by putting it in a
job description.
Here is the JD for the CA
Reporting directly to the CEO, The Cultural Architect is
responsible for exploring, understanding and articulating
the unseen elements of our workplace culture.
You will design and deploy evolving physical, mental and
emotional spaces for our people to show up as the fullest
expression of themselves.
You will craft meaningful experiences through spontaneous
moments of play that realign our people to their passion
and our company to our cause.
The applicant must possess high levels of Empathy and
Intuition. Previous experience as an Optimist and Social
Artist is essential. We are looking for someone who is
masterful at not only connecting to our people but
connecting our people to each other.
We will look favourably on gypsies, seekers, healers, lovers,
dreamers and believers who live the stories they tell and tell
stories that inspire people to live. And anyone who has
shown the courage to love despite countless broken hearts
will be at a distinct advantage.
The Cultural Architect is the very beat of the heart of our
company.
the cultural architect A job description
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25. The Cultural Architect is acutely aware that in the
modern business landscape, empathy is the
strongest currency.
And the surest path to knowing someone else deeply
is to deeply know oneself.
They recognise that expanding their self-awareness
is key to unlocking and unleashing the potential in
others. Therefore all Cultural Architects have
developed a mindfulness practice that keeps them
grounded, centred and aligned to their truth.
But they are also conscious of the time in which we
live. There is no use being a sage in cave. We need
peace, presence and possibility right here in the
swirling hot mess of the marketplace.
Cultural Architects don’t stay where it’s safe, nor do
they try to control the chaos that is the present-day
workplace, they merely ride the wave. Making sure
they take time out to reflect, recharge and realign.
In doing so, they provide a way for all of us to accept
with open arms whatever is waiting or wanting to
emerge.
urban monk
empathy
urbanmonk
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27. Strategy and process are key to every culture but often
fall short when faced with the unpredictable nature of
humanity. A Cultural Architect’s ability to adapt and
innovate with the unfolding present is vital.
They are master’s of crafting spontaneous, bespoke
and aesthetically pleasing experiences from
seemingly ordinary moments. Their willingness to
seek, to draw upon and to trust the unknown turns
mere conversations into dynamic and evolving works
of art.
Between friends and strangers, colleagues and
clients. To them the people are the paint and the
culture is the canvass.
They invite intimacy, call on our creativity and reveal
the authentic beauty of who we are and hope to be.
Both as individuals and as an organisation.
To a Cultural Architect form and function are not
opposing forces. Both are necessary when sculpting
the atmospheric landscape of an office or an event.
And as such they see every point of contact as an
opportunity to make something remarkable.
This is what makes them so unique and makes the
culture they create, so memorable.
social artisan
creativity
socialartisan
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29. Remaining positive in the face of overwhelming
negativity, cynicism and doubt requires profound
discipline.
It’s easy to complain, to find fault or make a case for
why something cannot or will not work. But to stand
with two feet in hope is to walk against the tide of our
time.
The Cultural Architect is bold with their light. No matter
what the odds and despite the data, they remain
centred in a possibility mindset. Using the power of
play to illuminate alternative ideas, options or
perspectives.
Play is a universal language that incites curiosity, invites
connection and enables a broader sense of gratitude.
By harnessing the potential of play, the Cultural
Architect can always find fun where there is none. To
them, joy is both the power and the point.
They are resolved in their belief that the answer is
always inspired and informed by our perception. Just as
our journey is always more fruitful and fulfilling than the
destination.
ruthless optimist
optimism
ruthlessoptimist
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31. Most people won’t understand, acknowledge or
appreciate what a Cultural Architect is trying to do.
While others may even attempt to sabotage their efforts.
To do this work requires an unparalleled resilience in
the face of apathy and dissent. In other words, a
Cultural Architect is a master of grit.
They have a borderline obsession getting things done.
They recognise that great cultures are not build
overnight. That it’s a marathon not a sprint and adjust
their intensity accordingly. Managing burn out is key.
Despite the odds, the weather or the turnout, they’re
playing the long game. And they’ll finish this one way or
another. This affords them an edge far greater than
those standing in the way of any cultural revolution.
It’s not the hard edge that wins, nor the size of our
desire, it’s the persistence. It’s the relentless drive to
show up and be fabulous that eventually transforms the
entire team.
grit master
resilience
gritmaster
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33. There is so much noise in the present-day work
environment that’s it’s easy to get lost in the mix. With
so many people, projects and problems vying for our
attention we can lose sight of the point.
The Cultural Architect keeps the flame alive when the
rest of us drift, stray or wander from our purpose.
They are the custodians of our why and it is their
intent that makes, breaks and shapes the essence of
our culture.
Less like a navigator and more like a compass, they
don’t determine our decisions, they just remind us of
who we were, where we’ve come from and where we
are hoping to go. They are an eternal burn.
They remain anchored to the blue sky of our business
and serve as a safe space to reboot, replenish and
reorganise our core priorities.
The Cultural Architect is the keeper of our deeper
desires and will always remind us of what we stand
for and what we’re working towards, when we need it
most.
eternal burn
intent
eternalburn
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35. A final thought
You might’ve noticed this paper is not full of statistics and case
studies. You can find plenty of them with a quick google search.
And you’ve probably guessed this paper is not speaking to your
rational, reasonable mind. There’s enough of that jamming up your
social feeds.
No, this paper is speaking directly to the part of you that knows this
stuff is true. It’s speaking to the part of you that you will need to
embrace and encourage if you are to lead a thriving work culture in
the modern era. This paper is only highlighting what is already
emerging.
Change is happening. There are savvy folk all over the world who
are currently implementing this approach and achieving incredible
results. The sooner you jump on board, the sooner we all benefit.
You don’t need permission, nor approval. You just need to trust the
voice in you that has been speaking all along.
Now is the time. Your people are ready. And you are all you’ll ever
need for amplifying the vibe of your tribe.
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36. About the author
Mykel Dixon is an Expert in the emerging fields of Artisan
Thinking and Cultural Architecture. A musician by trade, a
gypsy by nature and a passionate advocate for all things
creativity, culture and full self-expression.
He works with leading edge organisations around Australia to
unlock effortless creativity and design collaborative cultures
that foster true innovation.
Through the design and delivery of enthralling keynote
presentations, experiential workshops and emergent
mentoring programs he’s on a colourful crusade to turn the
factory into a workshop, the office into a playground and the
people into pure, unfiltered and unlimited possibility.
Connect with him here:
w: www.mykeldixon.com
f: facebook.com/mykeldixon
t: twitter.com/mykeldixon
l: linkedin.com/in/mykeldixon
Subscribe to the best newsletter in the business here:
www.mykeldixon.com/subscribe
The Cultural Architect mykeldixon.com36 of 38
37. Just Do 5ome thing
Aguidebookforturningdreamersintomakers
Too many would be business artisans, makers and innovators fall victim
to the blasphemy of self doubt that surround their self expression. Every
time a vision goes unfinished the creator, the company and the cause are
robbed of beauty, possibility and profit.
Just do 5omething is a practical, relevant & elegant guide for business
leaders looking to unlock their capacity for creativity and unleash their
impulse for innovation.
"This book is the opus for self-expression.”
Matt Church, Founder of Thought Leaders Global
"This could be one of the most important books you'll ever read.”
Dr Jason Fox, Best selling author of The Game Changer and How too
Lead a Quest
"This book is the catalyst for your creative recovery. Powerful stuff”
Darren Hill, Executive Director at Pragmatic Thinking
Grabyourcopyhere
The Cultural Architect mykeldixon.com37 of 38
