|
#6. What actual experience can you point to that demonstrates that this Survey has been effective in improving organizations? We can answer that question with several examples from past Organizational Effectiveness Surveys. Each example is centered on an Opportunity To Improve Performance ("OTIP") that the Survey identified as promising for that particular organization. Also have a look at the Comments From Our users.
OTIP: Clarity of Purpose
In fact, the leadership was fairly startled that people didn't know the company “Purpose” -- the CEO complained it had been repeated over and over. He turned out to be wrong. Now, there is a structured system of regular communication where there was none before. Everyone in management has clearer goals, all of which support the overall objective. The goal is to have everyone in the organization able to articulate how their job activities have been modified to fit the newly clarified corporate objectives. (City hospital, eastern region.)
OTIP: No well-understood marketing program, and no system to get customer feedback
The company brainstormed ways to increase market activity, and has now decided to re-contact all past customers. The pipeline is already refilling. (General contracting company.)
OTIP: Markets and industry are not healthy and growing
The CEO had been thinking about this for years, and the feedback has persuaded him to get serious about re-inventing the company's future. John Teets had to sell the buses to turn Greyhound into Dial -- this guy's job is less daunting, and now he's getting started before the cash dwindles to nothing. (Mid-western metal fabricating company.)
OTIP: Management Integrity
The specific feedback was a low score on management "walking the talk." We recommended a two-step process to gain trust: (1) make a promise, and (2) keep the promise. Executives are now making a point of making their promises more explicit, and trust is on the increase (Eastern region non-profit).
OTIP: Replacing people when necessary
This tough area had been avoided, and the Survey facilitated the difficult dialogue that had to occur. As a result, the appropriate executives are now being held accountable (by one another) for action. (Midwestern health care facility.)
OTIP: Specific action to add new products in the pipeline
Closely paraphrasing the CEO: “… exactly on target: We need new products. Yes, that cut right to the core of a challenge we have. We’ve been talking about it for a long time. We focused in on that, and launched a strategic initiative.” (Leading manufacturer of specialty electrical products.)
OTIP: Clarity of Purpose
In this post-Survey executive retreat, the participants concluded that while they had good clarity of purpose among management, they need to go further to share their clarity of purpose with non-management employees. (Manufacturer that had recently merged two companies, with plants on both coasts.)
OTIP: Replacing people when necessary
This company talked about being a family, not laying people off, and treating employees with respect and integrity. But they had recently fired a senior manager, and that was not well handled. Concluded: That’s an issue that needs to be affirmatively addressed. Corrective action: Explain what happened and why, and disseminate a policy regarding termination.
|
