Translating Survey Results into Action: An Example of the Importance of Survey Followup and Action P

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Translating Survey Results into Action An
Example of the Importance of Survey Follow-up and
Action Planning

• Annual SIOP Conference
• April 12th, 2008
• San Francisco

Lindsey M. Kotrba Denison Consulting Daniel
R. Denison International Institute for Management
Development
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The Importance of Action

• If you can measure it, you can manage it
• Yet, organizations are often left dissatisfied
  with their survey initiatives
• Many organizational change efforts fail (e.g.,
  Axelrod et al., 2006)
• Often the result of an organizations ability to
  translate results into action
• The value of a survey is not in the results but
  in the actions that are taken

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Driving Change in a Large Multi-National

• Fortune 500 Global organization
• Headquartered in Europe
• Specializing in consumer products
• Wanted to know
• What drives success?
• What cultural elements need to be improved in
  order to improve performance?
• Recognized need for proactive approach to address
  problems identified and the necessity to create
  concrete action plans.

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The Denison Model
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The 2003 Survey

• All Management Levels Completed the Docs
• Key Themes
• Strategy, Vision, Coordination across departments

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Next Steps

• Quick dissemination of results
• Guided feedback and discussion
• What are the predominant patterns in the survey
  results?
• How do these results fit with your own perception
  of the organization?
• What conclusions might be drawn from the data
  with respect to our strategic objectives?
• What are the specific deficiencies that need to
  be addressed so that we may achieve our goals and
  targets?

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Action Planning

• 470 feedback workshops
• Many different areas of the organization
• Recorded Main Topic, Next Steps, and Person
  Responsible
• Of Main Topics recorded
• Mission (37)
• Strategy, Vision
• Consistency (28)
• Coordination Integration, Core Values
• Adaptability (21)
• Customer Focus Creating Change

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The 2004 Survey
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Digging Deeper

• Majority of improved areas tied next steps to
  specific areas of the DOCS
• Strategic direction intent
• Active use of posters in offices/meeting rooms
• Vision
• Improve communication of vision via trainings
  provided to managers (Train the Trainer) and
  employees
• Coordination Integration
• Install cross divisional and cross functional
  working groups
• Core Values
• Meeting with all divisions to be held to cover
  core values topics
• Creating Change
• Training on change management
• Customer Focus
• Promote contact between marketing people and our
  clients (e.g. store-checks, training when they
  first enter organization)

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Digging Deeper

• Less than half of declined areas tied next steps
  to specific areas of the DOCS
• Not tied to anything
• Present results at local management meetings
• Reinforce the contact with the customers
• Tied to things outside of the results
• Survey by email not welcomed
• Survey needs management support next time

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An Important Finding Level Matters

• Action Planning at broad Region level did not
  seem to have much impact on countries within that
  region

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Some Take-Aways

• Get the results out there quickly
• Have guided discussions
• Be specific
• Based on your results what are you going to
  focus on? And what are you going to do about it?
• Plan at the level of the organization where you
  want to see change
• Bubble-up stronger than trickle-down

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Thank You!