22.5. Key Insights

After going through this process, we were convinced that the more precise the questions you ask, the more powerful the results of an ONA will be. We went into the analysis with clear questions—and a hypothesis—about the state of our external network, and the results confirmed our expectations. We wish that at the outset we had formulated equally penetrating questions about our internal network—we would have saved time and gained additional value from the analysis.

Even with visible evidence of the impact of individual connections on business success, it took a lot of work and encouragement to make the necessary changes. Ideally, we would have assisted with the building of the external and internal networks and tracked progress, most likely with an additional ONA. Instead, we guided the project until it was transferred to the right people for implementation.

Although we do not know the final outcomes of our efforts, we can say that interventions such as this can have a significant impact on morale. The metric process, usually overlooked by those not directly touched by it, gained visibility, and all involved parties experienced a morale boost. In addition, the recognition of Franco as the holder of critical knowledge not only made him feel valued but sent a clear message to the organization about the importance of know-how. The group worked well together, had fun, and Franco and the other members felt that they made significant contributions to the organization.