Today I would like to give you a brief insight. The survey for our Culture Compass 2025which we are conducting together with the Rotterdam School of Management, is still ongoing, but with over 500 responses from all over Europe amazingly clear patterns from.

It is more or less a look over the shoulder while the final results are still coming in - the full evaluation will then follow later in fall 2025.

🎙️ You prefer to listen? Here's a short, AI-generated audio summary of this issue:

One of the key questions was: "What are the biggest challenges that hinder your corporate culture?" The answers are a direct reflection of everyday life in many SMEs. Here is an advance look at the top 5 (as of 04.09.2025):

1. High work pressure & short-term focus (40%)

2. Bureaucracy & slow decisions (36%)

3. Lack of clear communication (32%)

4. Resistance to change (31%)

5. Gap between values & reality (29%)

These points are more than just mood statements. They are operational blockages that often nip creativity, growth and motivation in the bud. The good news is that you can tackle them head on. Today, artificial intelligence not only offers tools, but also the building blocks for a new way of working that tackles precisely these problems at their root.

Here are three keys that have already proven their worth:

Key 1: The new mindset - AI as a sparring partner

The "high work pressure" (1st place) is often not caused by too much work, but by too much friction in repetitive, mind-numbing tasks. The first key is to see AI not as another intern, but as a creative sparring partner. As a recent study on "cognitive synergy" shows the best results when human creativity and AI-supported analysis work together.

In practice: Use AI not just to complete tasks, but to challenge your own assumptions. Give it a problem and ask it to ask you the ten most important questions that you have overlooked. This creates a dialog that leads to truly innovative solutions and gives your team back the freedom to do value-adding work.

Key 2: The new model - the citizen developer trend

"Bureaucracy and slow decision-making" (2nd place) and "Resistance to change" (4th place) are direct consequences of a centralized, rigid system. The second key is Empowerment. Instead of waiting for the overburdened IT department, you empower your experts to become "citizen developers" themselves.

In practice: Your sales manager knows the problems in CRM best. Your head of finance knows exactly where the invoice verification is stuck. Give them the modern no-code/low-code and AI tools (like n8n or Google Workspace with Gemini) so they can build their own custom-fit automations. As MIT Sloan research shows, this approach not only creates "digital agility" but also breaks down resistance to change - because when you build your own solutions, you actively drive change.

Key 3: The new method - the 2-day AI design sprint

How to overcome the Gap between values and reality (5th place) or improves the Lack of communication (3rd place)? By moving quickly from talk to action. The third key is an agile, highly focused method that is feasible for SMEs. The classic 5-day design sprint is often too long. With AI as an accelerator, we have compressed it to two days.

In practice: In this format, a real problem (e.g. a patchy communication process) is not only analyzed in just two days, but a functioning, AI-supported solution is built and tested as a prototype. The team immediately experiences the success and impact of co-creation. It is the perfect method for creating tangible results quickly and bringing the abstract values of "innovation" and "teamwork" to life.

And finally, a thought: if these culture blockers are the symptoms, what is the disease? I think it's an outdated Operating system in our companies. More on this next week.

PS: The Culture Compass is still open. Take part to receive the full report and contribute your perspective. It's worth it! Click here for the survey.

Register now: AI Café on September 10 in Schaan

This event shows ways to a well thought-out digitization strategy.

• What: AI Café: Guidelines & practical examples for SMEs

• When: Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 4:30 - 7:00 p.m.

• Where: RUUF, Duxgass 55, 9494 Schaan, Liechtenstein

• Participation is free of charge.

Register and secure your place today: