This is Part 2 of the Architecture series, which explores the design layer of leadership — the 7 Foundations and 5 A’s — and shows how leaders can see, diagnose, and rebuild the structures that shape trust, energy, and coherence.
Every team, partnership, or organisation rests on invisible structures beneath the surface. These aren’t processes or job titles. They are the deeper Foundations that hold a We in place.
When these Foundations are strong, collaboration feels steady and alive. When one of them cracks, the whole structure starts to feel shaky.
In the Architecture of We we name seven such Foundations. They can be sensed, strengthened, and rebuilt:
- Pattern – the underlying design that shapes how people interact.
- Pulse – the rhythm of work and connection.
- Emergence – the capacity for new possibilities to arise.
- Containment – the holding environment of boundaries and safety.
- Energy – the vitality available to the system.
- Coherence – the degree to which the parts align into a unified whole.
- Geometry – the arrangement of roles, relationships, and flows.
The Foundations describe the conditions beneath the surface. But on their own, they can’t be worked with directly. That’s where the 5 A’s come in — Agreements, Assignments, Arrangements, Artefacts, and Access. These are the tangible structures you can see and touch. They are the handles leaders can pull.
Every diagnosis in the Architecture of We combines the two: you sense where a Foundation has cracked, then trace it through the 5 A’s to see where it shows up in practice. Geometry might break down in Assignments (unclear roles), Pulse in Arrangements (exhausting meeting rhythms), Energy in Access (leaders spread too thin). It’s this interplay between invisible condition and tangible structure that makes the system work.
These Foundations also don’t exist in isolation. They shift whenever essence shifts — when a leader sharpens their stance, when a team matures, when purpose clarifies. Much of the misalignment comes not from a faulty system, but from a system that hasn’t caught up with who its people have become. The work is not only to repair cracks, but to rebuild so the architecture once again matches essence.
Together, the Foundations and the A’s form a living system with three dynamics: Form, Flow, and Field.
Form: Geometry and Containment
Form is the structure you can lean on — Geometry and Containment are the beams that stop the whole thing collapsing.
Geometry
The arrangement of roles, relationships, and flows. Geometry answers: who relates to whom, in what shape, through what channels? Good Geometry creates clarity and possibility. Poor Geometry traps people in confusion.
Containment
The holding environment. Boundaries, agreements, and the sense of safety that allows truth to surface. Without Containment, conflict fragments. With it, even hard truths can become fuel for growth.
Flow: Pulse and Energy
Flow is the breath of a We — Pulse and Energy animate the structure so it doesn’t go rigid or stale.
Pulse
The rhythm of work and connection. Meetings, cycles, check-ins, pauses. Too fast and people burn out. Too slow and energy leaks away. Pulse is how a We keeps time with itself.
Energy
The vitality available to the system. Energy shows up in motivation, presence, and drive. It can be squandered in friction or harnessed into momentum. Energy is what makes the structure move.
Field: Pattern, Coherence, and Emergence
Field is what it feels like to live inside — Pattern, Coherence, and Emergence tell you if the system hums or strains.
Pattern
The underlying design that shapes how people interact. Sometimes visible in charts and roles, often invisible in habits and assumptions. Pattern is what repeats — until we choose to redraw it.
Coherence
The degree to which the parts align into a unified whole. Coherence is felt when voices harmonise, when direction stabilises, when the system holds steady even under pressure. Without Coherence, dissonance spreads. With it, people move as one.
Emergence
The capacity for new possibilities to arise. When a We is alive, it creates ideas, innovations, and futures none of its members could have forced alone. Emergence is the spark of the unexpected that becomes the next step.
Why these Foundations matter
When the architecture no longer matches the essence, one or more of these Foundations has slipped. The work of leadership is not to patch the surface, but to restore the Foundation.
The 7 Foundations of We form a diagnostic map — not just a metaphor. Each one reflects the deeper design of how the system functions.
They are not merely cultural patterns — they are energetic forms. Each Foundation governs how life force moves through the system, and where it pools, leaks, or becomes distorted.
They are also systemic reflections of inner purpose and alignment. Each Foundation is a mirror of whether the system is fulfilling its real purpose — or distorting it.
And when they are solid, the result is unmistakable.