The Subculture Coverage Matrix

Recently in The Idea Bucket, we've explored three foundational mantras for building a subculture of innovation:

• Feedback is a gift — not a demand
• One consultative decision-maker per lane
• Always separate flaring and focusing

But how many mantras should you have? And what categories do they need to cover?

Today, we zoom out and map each mantra into The Subculture Coverage Matrix.

Why Mantras Matter

The non-linear nature of innovation means that the team journey will always be a roller coaster. You will definitely have highs and you will definitely have lows. The question is: Will your team blow up when you inevitably hit the bottom of the roller coaster?

That's why it's imperative for your team to take the time at the beginning of the process to establish the rules for how the team will operate: the explicit norms.

You can, and should, discuss these norms as a team, document them, and revisit them on a regular basis. But rules written in a Google doc will only get you so far.

To make norms live in your culture, you need mantras.

Short, sticky phrases that shape behavior. That people can remember, repeat, and reinforce — even under stress.

As a leader, you are the signal generator of your culture. The mantras you repeat are the signals your team will follow.

But it's not good enough to have a go-to mantra or two that seems to resonate with your team. You need to take a step back and ensure that your mantras cover all the bases that your team needs. That's where The Subculture Coverage Matrix comes in.

The Subculture Coverage Matrix

The Subculture Coverage Matrix is a simple mapping tool to help you see what types of explicit norms your mantras are reinforcing — and what categories might be missing.

When I began grouping my mantras, seven essential categories emerged:

• How We Solve Problems
  • Be Human-Centered
  • Start With First Principles
  • Embrace Constraints
• How We Execute Our Work
  • Fail Forward
  • Be Prototype-Driven
  • Bias Towards Action
• Who Makes Decisions
  • One Consultative Decision Maker Per Lane
  • Own The Outcome
  • Empower Others
• How We Make Decisions
  • Let The User Decide
  • Always Separate Flaring & Focusing
  • Be Data Informed, Not Data Paralyzed
• How We Constantly Improve
  • Feedback is a Gift - Not a Demand
  • Leverage Our Diversity
  • Cultivate A Growth Mindset
• How We Communicate
  • Tell User-Centered Stories
  • Talk To People, Not About People
  • Text If Urgent
• How We Value Our Time
  • Meetings Have Facilitators & Agendas
  • In-Person For Flaring & Alignment
  • Honor The Maker's Schedule

A Tool To Make Sure Your Mantras Are Balanced

The first time I zoomed out and mapped my go-to mantras, I realized that I was heavy in some categories, like How We Execute Our Work, but I was missing mantras in key areas that my team absolutely needed to function, like Who Makes Decisions.

That’s what the Subculture Coverage Matrix helps reveal: Where your leadership signals are strong — and where they’re absent.

Once I had full coverage, I created a one-slide cheat sheet — and made it my screensaver. It’s a daily reminder of the cultural signals I need to keep reinforcing:

How To Use The Matrix

Let's map out your mantras and see what might be missing.

First, grab some Post-its and write one mantra per Post-it until you've exhausted all of your go-to mantras.

Then, start grouping your mantras into the seven essential categories.

Observe the balance. Where do you have many? Where do you have none? This is where your subculture leadership is out of balance and requires your attention.

Come up with at least one mantra per category. Be intentional about covering all of the bases.

Your Challenge This Week

Map your mantras. Audit your leadership signals. Fill in the gaps.

1) Download The Subculture Coverage Matrix Worksheet:

2) Fill in each of your go-to mantras in the matching category.

3) Make sure you have at least one mantra per category — and consider which new ones you might need to craft or reinforce.

Next Week

Now that we have a map of the seven essential categories, we're going to dive deep into at least one mantra in each category so that you have solid examples of how to execute on each category.

We've gone deep on a key mantra in How We Constantly Improve, Who Makes Decisions, and How We Make Decisions.

Next week, we'll dive into my favorite mantra in How We Execute Our Work: Fail Forward

About This Newsletter

The Idea Bucket is a weekly newsletter and archive featuring one visual framework, supporting one act of leadership, that brings you one step closer to building a culture of innovation.

It’s written by Corey Ford — executive coach, strategic advisor, and founder of Point C, where he helps founders, CEOs, and executives clarify their visions, lead cultures of innovation, and navigate their next leadership chapters.

Want to explore how strategy and storytelling come together? Check out The Venture Story — my first mini-book and leadership storytelling framework.

Want to give your teams an immersive learning experience on these concepts? Bring me in to run The Point C Training Camp at our company.

Want 1:1 executive coaching on this framework or others?  Book your first coaching session. It's on me.