How the Culture Science cards work

What's in the deck?

Each Culture Science Card represents mindsets that show up in teams and organisations. Some are aspirational. Some are cautionary.

All are behavioural.

Each card deck includes:

16 styles (8 opposing pairs) represented by 5 cards each.

80 unique cards representing effective or less effective mindsets and behaviours.

What makes the cards work?

The cards are built around three key ideas:

1. People learn through reflection

The cards use a constructivist approach — people don’t change because they’re told to. They change when they reach their own conclusions.

2. Culture lives in behaviour

Culture is shaped by what people do, not just what they say. Each card focuses on small but powerful behaviours that either reinforce or erode culture.

3. Tactile tools shift the tone

Because the cards are visual, physical, and language-rich, they invite curiosity and reduce defensiveness. It feels like play — but it’s deep work.

How do you use them?

The most popular team activity is called “Above and Below the Line.”

Here’s how it works:

1. Teams are asked: What kind of culture do we want to be known for?

2. They sort cards into two groups:

Above the Line: behaviours we want to encourage

Below the Line: behaviours we want to shift or retire

3. Through discussion, teams align on what matters, what needs attention, and what’s next.

N.B. There are no right or wrong answers in this exercise. Whatever team members choose and why they choose it is right! It's the discussion that counts - and then next steps.

This creates a powerful, co-created North Star for cultural alignment — based on behaviour, not vague ideals.

The Power of the Question

The real magic of the Culture Science Cards lies not just in the cards themselves — but in the questions facilitators ask when using them.

A well-crafted question invites reflection, surfaces values, and unlocks the collective wisdom of the group. It turns a card-sorting exercise into a transformational moment of clarity.

Great questions shift the focus from what’s wrong to what’s possible. From vague values to visible behaviours. From individual opinion to shared ownership. And because people answer for themselves, the insights stick.

Example Questions

Use Case

“What mindsets would constructive leaders take into a situation like this?”

Leadership alignment, strategy sessions

“What behaviours do you want to see in your team because of your leadership?”

Self-reflection for leaders, 1:1 coaching

“What behaviours help you feel physically and psychologically safe here?”

Team safety and inclusion

“Which behaviours show up when we’re under pressure?”

Identifying culture under stress

“Which cards reflect how you want this team to feel — and which reflect how it often feels now?”

Values vs. lived experience

“What would it look like if we all showed up with these mindsets next quarter?”

Setting behavioural goals

“If we changed nothing else but three behaviours — which ones would shift the most?”

Prioritisation for culture change

“Which cards reflect behaviours that are rewarded here — even if unintentionally?”

Surfacing hidden cultural drivers

“What would a new team member learn about us from these behaviours?”

Onboarding, storytelling culture

What happens after the session?

Teams walk away with:

A shared understanding of the culture they want to build

Clear behaviours to reinforce or shift

If facilitated right - a plan (or the next step is to build one) about bringing the agreed behaviours to life!
Language and symbols that feel real to them

Often: a visual artefact or “Culture Wall” that brings it all to life

A renewed sense of ownership and pride in how they work

Where they're used

Culture Science Cards are used in a range of settings, including:

leadership team offsites

strategy and culture alignment sessions

team effectiveness work

surfacing and working through tension

leadership and capability development

facilitator-led workshops

Inductions and Orientations

You name it - you can use them there!

They are often used alongside other tools and frameworks — but always to deepen understanding, not replace thinking.

One final insight

“People will consider an expert’s opinion — but they’ll only act on their own conclusions.”

That’s why the cards work.

They don’t tell people what to think.

They help people discover what they believe — together.

The role of facilitation

The quality of outcome depends less on the cards themselves and more on how they are used.

Skilled facilitation:

holds the space

asks better questions

notices patterns

connects insight to action

For this reason, the cards are most effectively used by trained facilitators, leaders, and consultants who are comfortable working with ambiguity and complexity.