"Culture eats strategy for breakfast"

Copyright © 2015 Wonder Group. wonderagency.com
“CULTURE EATS STRATEGY
FOR BREAKFAST”
TOBIAS DAHLBERG | WONDER AGENCY
WWW.WONDERAGENCY.COM
HOW TO BUILD A
CULTURE OF
INNOVATION IN A
WORLD OF NON-STOP
CHANGE.

COPYRIGHT © 2015 WONDER GROUP. WONDERAGENCY.COM
IT’S THE END OF THE
WORLD AS WE KNOW IT.

WELCOMETOAWORLDOFUNPRECEDENTEDSPEEDOFCHANGE.
THE AGE OF FLUX

TOOMANYOFFERINGS,CHANNELS,MESSAGES.
CLUTTER

HYPERCOMPETITION

CREATIVE DESTRUCTION

IS THIS THE END
OF SUSTAINABLE
COMPETITIVE  
ADVANTAGE?

IMPLICATIONS?

UNPREDICTABILITY AND UNCERTAINTY

NO ONE IS SAFE.
SAFE IS THE NEW RISKY.

THEOLDINDUSTRIAL
PLATFORMISCOLLAPSING.
THE OLD BARRIERS TO COMPETITION ARE DISAPPEARING.

IN A TIME OF RAPID CHANGE,
SUCCESS FAVOURS THOSE WHO
MAKE BIG LEAPS IN IMAGINATION,
COURAGE AND EFFORT.
MARTYNEUMEIER

TODAY,ALMOST
ANYTHINGCANBE
COPIEDQUICKLY.
EXCEPTORIGINALITY.
”Don’t play what’s there. 
Play what’s not there.” 
Miles Davis

THE ONLY OPTION IS TO BE REMARKABLE.
NOMA’S POP-UP RESTAURANT IN TOKYO HAD 60.000 PEOPLE QUEUING FOR A CHANCE TO SPEND 400 EUROS FOR A MENU.

"It is not the strongest of the
species that survives; nor
the most intelligent that
survives. It is the one that is
most adaptable to change."
CHARLES DARWIN

Q: HOW DO YOU THRIVE
IN THE AGE OF FLUX?

A: CULTURE

WHAT IS CULTURE?

CULTURE IS VALUES.

CULTURE IS IDEOLOGY.

CULTURE IS CONVICTION.

CULTURE IS IDENTITY

CULTURE IS TRADITION.

CULTURE IS BELIEF.

CULTURE IS GROUP HABIT

CULTURE RESIDES IN THE
HEARTS AND MINDS OF PEOPLE.

EFFECTS OF CULTURE

CULTURE EITHER DRIVES OR
DRAINES PEOPLE’S ENERGY
AND MOTIVATION.

CULTURE IS THE ENVIRONMENT IN
WHICH YOUR STRATEGY AND
BRAND THRIVES, OR DIES.

CULTURE MAKES STRATEGY REAL.

CULTURE DRIVES UNITY.

CULTURE ATTRACTS TALENT.

“CULTURE ISN’T JUST ONE ASPECT OF
THE GAME, IT IS THE GAME” 
Lou Gerstner former turnaround CEO at IBM

Copyright © 2014 Wonder Agency www.wonderagency.com
“LET’S FIX THE NUMBERS FIRST AND
WORRY ABOUT CULTURE LATER”

WHY CULTURE IS KING

STRATEGY IS INTENTION.
CULTURE IS HABIT.

GETTING CULTURE RIGHTHOW TO FORM NEW EMPOWERING BEHAVIOURS AND HABITS

TWO CRITICAL
COMPONENTS OF
CULTURE.

1. MOTIVATION

COPYRIGHT © 2014 WONDER GROUP. WONDERHELSINKI.COM
“MOTIVATION IS THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT
PREDICTOR OF
SUCCESS”
DR. ANDERS ERICSSON

THE
MOTIVATIONAL
FORCE OF
EMPLOYERS.

VS.

THE MOTIVATION OF EMPLOYEES.

OLD IDEAS AND DOGMAS STILL PREVAIL.
TAYLORISM AND SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT

THE MECHANISTIC VIEW OF HUMANITY.
ARE WE STILL COGS IN A MACHINE?
REF: KIM KORN & JOE PINE

PEOPLE ARE NOT MACHINES, AND
COMPANIES ARE NOT MECHANISMS!

WE ARE BREATHING, LAUGHING,
CRYING, LOVING, FEARING, CARING
CREATURES DRIVEN BY EMOTION.

WE ARE BREATHING, LAUGHING,
CRYING, LOVING, FEARING, CARING
CREATURES DRIVEN BY EMOTION.
ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

THE HOLISTIC VIEW
OF HUMANITY.
RECOGNISING PEOPLE FOR THEIR
TRUE POTENTIAL AND TALENT.
JONATHAN ANTOINE

IMAGINE IF EVERYONE PUT THEIR
HEART AND SOUL INTO THEIR WORK?
MOTIVATION IS THE GREATEST FORCE OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE.
REF: DR. ERICSSON

EUDAIMONIA
HUMAN FLOURISHING, THE
JOYFUL FULFILLMENT OF
ONE’S POTENTIAL.  
 
WHEN EUDAMONIA STOPS,
PRODUCTIVITY STALLS.

“You cannot predict the outcome of
human development. All you can do
is like a farmer create the conditions
under which it will begin to ﬂourish.”
SIR KEN ROBINSON

WE WANT TO BE FULFILLED.
SELF-ACTUALISATION MEANS REALISING ONE’S POTENTIAL,
SEEKING PERSONAL GROWTH, LEARNING AND CREATING.
ABRAHAM MASLOW

PURPOSE
AUTONOMY
MASTERY
WHAT DRIVES US?
REF: DANIEL PINK

REF: WONDER AGENCY

STRATEGY
CULTURE
EMBRACE A HOLISTIC VIEW OF
HUMANITY AND PROVIDE A CULTURE
WHERE PEOPLE FLOURISH.
PLAY TO NATURAL STRENGTHS
AND ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY
FOR SELF-MOTIVATION.

YOUR JOB AS A MANAGER IS TO ENSURE
THAT EVERYONE IS PLAYING TO THEIR
CREATIVE POTENTIAL AND FEEL THAT
THEIR CONTRIBUTION IS VALUED.

2. INNOVATION

“THE PURPOSE OF A
BUSINESS IS TO
CREATE A CUSTOMER”
PETERDRUCKER
ABUSINESSISESSENTIALLYABOUTCREATINGVALUEFORCUSTOMERS

THE PARADOX OF
INNOVATION.

EXPLORING
EXPLORING EXPLOITING
INNOVATION INVOLVES ENGAGING IN TWO
TYPES OF (CONFLICTING) ACTIVITIES.

EXPLORING FOR NEW KNOWLEDGE
THE INVENTION OF BUSINESS
REF: JAMES G. MARCH

EXPLOITING EXISTING KNOWLEDGE
THE ADMINISTRATION OF BUSINESS
REF: JAMES G. MARCH

COMPANIES TYPICALLY START OUT AS GREAT EXPLORERS…
YEAR 1

…BUT AS YEARS GO BY THEY GET STUCK EXPLOITING.
YEAR 10

TO SUSTAIN GREATNESS YOU HAVE TO BE BALANCE THE TWO.

KODAK INVENTED THE
DIGITAL CAMERA, BUT WENT
BANKRUPT BECAUSE IT
COULD NOT TRANSFORM
ITSELF INTO A DIGITAL
COMPANY.

THE PAST DOES NOT EQUAL THE FUTURE
BLOCKBUSTER WENT BUST.

EXPLORING
INVENTION
THE FUTURE
CREATIVITY
UNCERTAINTY
LONG-TERM
HIGH-RISK
INTUITION
HYPOTHESIS
ORIGINALITY
ADMINISTRATION
THE PAST
DISCIPLINE
PREDICTABILITY
SHORT-TERM
LOW-RISK
ANALYSIS
VALIDATION
MASTERY
HOW DO YOU CREATE BALANCE?

ACCEPTAMBIGUITY. MIXANALYSISANDGUT.
REF: ROGER MARTIN, CHARLES SANDERS PEIRCE.
EMBRACE NEW MINDSETS
CULTIVATEAGILITY.
Structure organisation to
enable fast movement from
insight to idea, prototype
and market validation.
Advance knowledge
through “logical leaps of
faith”, i.e. testing
hypotheses.
No new idea can be
proven in advance before
the unfolding of future
events.

KNOWING CREATING
REF: ROGER MARTIN, CHARLES SANDERS PEIRCE.
DOING
“WHATIS” “WHATCOULDBE” “WHATWORKS”

MINDSETS, SKILLS
AND BEHAVIOURS

THE DESIGNERS MINDSET

OPENNESS
CURIOSITY
EMPATHY
EXPERIMENTATION
BUILDING
LEARNING
EXPLORING

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET

PURPOSE AND MEANING
OWNERSHIP
CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
DISCIPLINE & PERSISTANCE
SENSE OF URGENCY
RESULTS DRIVEN
RESOURCEFULNESS
DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE
CURIOSITY AND LEARNING
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET

PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER

EXPLORATION EXPLOITATION
STRATEGY
CULTURE 
EMPLOYEES
OWNERS
INVENTION ADMINISTRATION
CREATING HARMONY

HOW TO KICKSTART A
CULTURE OF NON-STOP
INNOVATION.

THE FIVE BUILDING BLOCKS OF INNOVATION CULTURE
PURPOSE
The intent, goals and
vision that provide
direction, inspiration and
energy.
PRINCIPLES
The fundamental beliefs,
values, mindsets policies that
provide guidance and
direction.
CAPABILITIES
The capacity, ability and
competences needed to
drive desired behaviours.
SYSTEMS
The process, structure,
roles, resources and
activities needed to advance
innovation efforts.
METHODS
The methods and tools
used systematically to
create desired results.
REF: WONDER AGENCY

ENGAGEMENT
EFFORT
EMPOWERING
MASTERING
IGNITING
PURPOSE
PRINCIPLES
CAPABILITIES
SYSTEM
METHODS
LEARNING
MEASURING
REWARDING
EXPANDING
FORINSPIRATIONANDDIRECTION
FOROPERABILITYANDAUTONOMY
FORACHIEVEMENTANDIMPACT
LEADING INNOVATION CULTURE
REF: WONDER AGENCY

EXAMPLES

PRINCIPLES

“CULTURE WINS
OVER PROCESS”.
“WORD TRAVELS, AND SO DOES TALENT. DELIVER A
GREAT CULTURE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES”.
“PERSONAL LIFE AND
PROFESSIONAL LIFE IS
MERGING. STANDARDS
FOR CULTURE ARE
RISING.”
“WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF
TRANSPARENCY”
“DON’T START A BUSINESS, START A CAUSE.
CREATE A MOVEMENT.”
METHOD PRINCIPLES

KEEP METHOD WEIRD.
WHAT WOULD MACGYVER DO?
INNOVATE, DON’T IMITATE.
COLLABORATE, COLLABORATE.
CARE LIKE CRAZY.
METHOD VALUES

“HOW WILL YOU HELP
KEEP METHOD WEIRD?”

ZAPPOS OFFERS NEWLY HIRED
PEOPLE 3000 DOLLARS TO QUIT
AFTER THE FIRST WEEK.

ATLASSIAN “SHIP-IT-DAY”

“USE GOOD JUDGEMENT”

SUMMARY

“EVERYONEHASAPLAN,UNTILTHEY 
GETPUNCHEDINTHEFACE”.MIKETYSON

THIS IS YOUR LIFE.
“Your work is going to fill a large part of
your life. The only way to be truly
satisfied is to do what you believe to be
great work. And the only way to do great
work is to love what you do.” 
Steve Jobs

“There is a new world struggling to
be born. It’s a world of higher
creativity, higher purpose and
deeper fulfilment.” 
Marty Neumeier

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

Copyright © 2015 Wonder Group. wonderagency.comREF: ROGER MARTIN, CHARLES SANDERS PEIRCE.
1. 
 
WHAT IS GREAT
ABOUT YOUR CULTURE
RIGHT NOW?
2. 
 
WHAT ASPECTS OF YOUR
CULTURE MUST YOU
STRENGTHEN?
3.
WHAT MUST YOU
DO TO STRENGTHEN
THESE ASPECTS OF
YOUR CULTURE?

Wonder Agency Oy 
Kanavaranta 7 C 6, 4th ﬂoor
00160 Helsinki, Finland
key contacts
—
Tobias Dahlberg
managing director
tobias.dahlberg@wonderagency.com
T +358 50 354 0602

www.tobiasdahlberg.com
www.wonderagency.com
www.thewonderacademy.com 
Twitter: @tobiasdahlberg
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tobbedahlberg
Tobias Dahlberg 
 
Founder & CEO
Wonder Agency

References and suggested reading:
Marty Neumeier: 
The Designful Company 
Metaskills 
 
Kim Korn & Joe Pine:
The Laws of Managing 
 
Daniel Pink: 
Drive 
 
Edward Deci & Richard Ryan: 
Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behaviour 
Roger Martin:  
The Design of Business
Peter Drucker:
Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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