The Culture Cliff™ Lite

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Quiz Questions

1.
How honest can you be without fear of judgment?
- A.
  I can share ideas, but only after I've pressure-tested them and feel confident they'll work.
- B.
  I can share wild ideas, even when I'm not sure they'll work.
- C.
  I can openly admit when I broke something or failed.
- D.
  I can openly disagree openly, and people listen.
- E.
  I can say "I don't know" without hesitation.
- F.
  I can push back on more work when my plate is full.
- G.
  I can tell people when I'm struggling.
- H.
  I can share personal details with coworkers.
- I.
  I can talk about mental health struggles at work.
- J.
  I can ask for support when I need it.
- K.
  I will only share ideas if I've pressure-tested them and feel very confident they'll work. I don't want to look bad.
- L.
  I hesitate to speak up. No one will do anything with my input anyway.
2.
How does information flow in your organization?
- A.
  When things change, we're told why. Leadership is an open book.
- B.
  People go out of their way to share information so everyone works toward the same goal.
- C.
  Leadership is a black box. Only certain groups are on the inside.
- D.
  People hoard information to maintain control, visibility, or status.
3.
When decisions are made, they come from...
- A.
  The tippy top the CEO decide everything
- B.
  The top down. We get told.
- C.
  The middle. We get asked.
- D.
  Everywhere. No one is too junior to have a great idea.
4.
Describe how your culture feels.
- A.
  Our culture is strong. We have a sense of "we." I belong to something bigger than myself.
- B.
  Mentorship happens here. Knowledge is passed down. Bonds form that help people grow.
- C.
  It's every person for themselves. No one has time for much else.
- D.
  What culture? We’re just numbers.
5.
People get promoted here because...
- A.
  They do great work.
- B.
  They model our culture and values.
- C.
  They're the loudest.
- D.
  They're the favorite, or have friends in high places.
6.
How your org manages focus and speed.
- A.
  Priorities are clear. They are our north star.
- B.
  Priorities change every hour.
- C.
  We say no to things so we stay focused on our mission.
- D.
  We try to do everything, all the time. Always adding. Never removing.
7.
How connected are you to your role?
- A.
  I wear many hats, but I'm true to my job description.
- B.
  I pitch in so much I wonder if I'll ever get back to my original role.
- C.
  Does anyone even see me and my efforts?
- D.
  I feel connected to my role, my purpose, and the impact I make.
8.
It's ___ to work here:
- A.
  Exhausting
- B.
  Stabilizing
- C.
  Invigorating
- D.
  Frustrating
- E.
  Challenging (in the best way)
- F.
  Overwhelming
- G.
  Supportive
- H.
  Isolating
- I.
  Toxic
- J.
  Rewarding
9.
Your organization's relationship to systems.
- A.
  We have systems for our systems. It’s hard to get things done.
- B.
  We trust people's judgment more than systems.
- C.
  We trust systems more than people.
- D.
  We have some systems, but we prioritize moving fast.
10.
When projects come down the pike, leaders make sure...
- A.
  They check and sign off on everything. Nothing moves without their approval.
- B.
  The right stakeholders are empowered to take full control and run with it.
- C.
  We have alignment meetings before running with it.
- D.
  Despite green lights and alignment meetings, leaders swoop in mid-project to "fix" things, which sets us back.
11.
When something feels “off” on the team, what usually happens?
- A.
  People tend to wait until the issue becomes more obvious or urgent before raising it.
- B.
  Issues usually surface once they’ve already started affecting timelines, customers, or other teams.
- C.
  Someone typically flags concerns early, even when the problem isn’t fully formed yet.
- D.
  People feel comfortable saying “something feels off here” before a problem escalates.
12.
When someone disagrees with leadership or a major decision, what tends to happen?
- A.
  Most people keep their concerns to themselves and go along with the plan.
- B.
  Concerns are usually discussed privately after the meeting rather than raised directly.
- C.
  People openly challenge ideas and leadership expects pushback.
- D.
  Disagreement is treated as useful input that strengthens decisions
13.
When something goes wrong on a project or initiative, where does the conversation usually happen first?
- A.
  The issue is escalated to leadership fairly quickly.
- B.
  People often discuss the situation with their manager rather than addressing it directly with the people involved.
- C.
  The people closest to the issue usually address it directly with each other.
- D.
  Teams work through problems together before escalating them upward.

Quiz Outcomes

1.
Before I show you your result.
I want you to be able to see 10 steps ahead of everyone else. AI just changed the rules of business. Everything sped up, except your people. Human biology hasn't been upgraded in tens of thousands of years — and there isn’t an operating system update coming.That gap — between the speed your company is now expected to move at and the speed your humans are actually built to operate at — is the most important variable in business right now.Most leaders are trying to close it with tools, tighter management, more AI or new hires. Those won't touch it. Because the gap isn't operational. It's biological.I call the new era we’re living in “the Acceleration Age,” and it changed what leadership requires of you. The leaders who win in the next decade are the ones who see the writing in the wall now and learn how to keep the human system inside their company performing at higher and higher speeds. Your result is going to show you exactly where your company sits on that map, and what you can do about it.
2.
Before I show you your result.
I want you to be able to see 10 steps ahead of everyone else. AI just changed the rules of business. Everything sped up, except your people. Human biology hasn't been upgraded in tens of thousands of years — and there isn’t an operating system update coming.That gap — between the speed your company is now expected to move at and the speed your humans are actually built to operate at — is the most important variable in business right now.Most leaders are trying to close it with tools, tighter management, more AI or new hires. Those won't touch it. Because the gap isn't operational. It's biological.I call the new era we’re living in “the Acceleration Age,” and it changed what leadership requires of you. The leaders who win in the next decade are the ones who see the writing in the wall now and learn how to keep the human system inside their company performing at higher and higher speeds. Your result is going to show you exactly where your company sits on that map, and what you can do about it.
3.
Before I show you your result.
I want you to be able to see 10 steps ahead of everyone else. AI just changed the rules of business. Everything sped up, except your people. Human biology hasn't been upgraded in tens of thousands of years — and there isn’t an operating system update coming.That gap — between the speed your company is now expected to move at and the speed your humans are actually built to operate at — is the most important variable in business right now.Most leaders are trying to close it with tools, tighter management, more AI or new hires. Those won't touch it. Because the gap isn't operational. It's biological.I call the new era we’re living in “the Acceleration Age,” and it changed what leadership requires of you. The leaders who win in the next decade are the ones who see the writing in the wall now and learn how to keep the human system inside their company performing at higher and higher speeds. Your result is going to show you exactly where your company sits on that map, and what you can do about it.
4.
Before I show you your result.
I want you to be able to see 10 steps ahead of everyone else. AI just changed the rules of business. Everything sped up, except your people. Human biology hasn't been upgraded in tens of thousands of years — and there isn’t an operating system update coming.That gap — between the speed your company is now expected to move at and the speed your humans are actually built to operate at — is the most important variable in business right now.Most leaders are trying to close it with tools, tighter management, more AI or new hires. Those won't touch it. Because the gap isn't operational. It's biological.I call the new era we’re living in “the Acceleration Age,” and it changed what leadership requires of you. The leaders who win in the next decade are the ones who see the writing in the wall now and learn how to keep the human system inside their company performing at higher and higher speeds. Your result is going to show you exactly where your company sits on that map, and what you can do about it.

The Culture Cliff™ Lite

These patterns show up in most fast growing companies. They are normal to be experiencing. Answer from your lived experience. Not what it used to be, the company handbook or the values poster on the wall.This is all confidential, please share what you feel and see every day.

Quiz Questions

Quiz Outcomes