Shortcuts Work Until They Don't– Your Shot of Fearless Culture #367
Where change agents find their weekly dose of culture insights and exercises, one topic at a time.
Everyone wants a quick fix.
A six-step framework. A one-hour training. The "secret sauce" that transformed another company overnight.
I get it.
When culture challenges feel overwhelming, the promise of a shortcut is irresistible.
Think about cooking. Anyone can follow a recipe, but great chefs understand the principles behind it. They know when to adapt, when to trust their instincts, and when to avoid shortcuts.
This is true in both the kitchen and in organizational culture – I've learned that:
Simplicity is powerful. Shortcuts are dangerous.
True simplicity means distilling complexity to its essence – keeping what matters and eliminating what doesn't.
Shortcuts skip the essential parts, leaving you with hollow practices that look good but lack substance – like a cool dish that lacks depth or flavor.
Explore this week’s newsletter:
My latest article → Successful Culture Design Requires More than Recipes
Practical tips to avoid shortcuts
Inspiring reads and tools
Stay fearless, my friend.
Gustavo
In Case You Missed It
→ Design Thinking Is Not a Silver Bullet
Ask Your Team This
Are we using AI to think better or to oversimplify our work?
⚠️ Try It Today
Turn sticky notes into something meaningful and useful.
Step 1: Remove vagueness
Assign one or two people to play the Skeptic and questions notes":
How do we know this is true?
Is this based on real behaviors or just wishful thinking?
Would someone outside our team recognize this as accurate?
Step 2: Aim for clarity
Each team member randomly picks 3 sticky notes and reads them aloud:
Will we still understand what this means in a month?
Does this describe actual behavior or just a vague idea?
How can we make all notes concise and clearer?
Step 3: Eliminate the noise
Get rid of shallow, mediocre contributions:
Is this insightful, relevant, or actionable?
Is this idea challenging enough?
Is this new, or does it just resemble what we already do/ know?
🍦 Feed Your Curiosity
Is AI eroding our critical thinking?
Weak signals from the future: detect and interpret
🔥 From Recipe Follower to Culture Chef
The kitchen is waiting. Time to create something remarkable.
Acquire the techniques, tools, and tips to transform your workplace culture into something extraordinary.
The Culture Design Masterclass is the perfect place to start.
Master the culture design framework, map and assess your current culture, and discover actionable ways to drive real change.
Registration is open for March, April, and May Masterclasses.
Dive deep into culture design with the Build a Fearless Culture program.
Master all the building blocks of culture – from psychological safety and purpose to feedback and decision-making.
Save $300 – early bird ends next week
Over eight sessions, you’ll acquire new tools and methods to improve your workplace culture – from feedback and meetings to psychological safety and decision-making.
All our culture design programs have 100+ 5-star Google Reviews.
🚀 Accelerate Teamwork
I'm here to help your team do fantastic work together. How? By tackling three areas: alignment, belonging, and collaboration. Check our services:
Do you want to build a fearless culture?
Gustavo Razzetti
CEO, Fearless Culture