This is Part 3 of the Architecture series — showing how the 5 A’s reveal misalignment in a system, and why they are often the first places leaders notice something is off.
Every leader knows the frustration of trying to shift culture or energy without clear levers. That’s where the 5 A’s come in. They are the visible, tangible elements of Architecture — the ones you can actually design, adjust, and test.
The 5 A’s are:
- Agreements — the explicit commitments people rely on.
- Assignments — who holds which roles and responsibilities.
- Arrangements — the structures of meetings, decision flows, and communication.
- Artefacts — the tools, documents, and systems that carry the work.
- Access — the gateways of power, information, and resources: who holds them, and how open they are.
Why the 5 A’s matter
The 5 A’s are the part of the system leaders can see and touch. They are also where misalignments become visible first.
Agreements
Agreements start to bend or slip, and people stop trusting what is promised.
Assignments
Roles blur or duplicate, leaving people unsure who holds what.
Arrangements
Meeting rhythms and decision flows slow down, clogging calendars and momentum.
Artefacts
Documents, tools, and systems pile up or contradict one another, scattering focus.
Access
Information and power narrow to a few people, turning flow into bottleneck.
When these distort, trust erodes fast. When they are aligned with essence, they are the clearest signal that a system is being rebuilt on truth.
The 5 A’s are the visible handles of Architecture. They are where essence and trust meet practice.
The 7 Foundations describe the conditions beneath the surface. The 5 A’s are the levers above it. Together, they form the diagnostic map we use in every Reveal Arc.
How leaders use the 5 A’s in design and testing
The power of the 5 A’s is that they can be shaped. Each one can be adjusted, prototyped, or tested without restructuring the entire system.
Clarify the current shape. What is the real agreement? Who is actually holding the assignment? How does the arrangement work in practice? Misalignment is often revealed simply by naming what already exists.
Adjust the lever. Precise, minimal shifts create more impact than sweeping changes: a cleaner agreement, a reassigned responsibility, a lighter meeting rhythm. Each A can be refined without destabilising the whole system.
Test the effect. A good adjustment shows up quickly — friction drops, clarity rises, energy returns. If it doesn’t, you’ve adjusted the wrong A or the wrong layer.
The aim isn’t perfection. It’s the smallest structural move that restores flow.