APPENDIX A

Organizational Alignment Survey

This survey (copyright © by GlobalEd, LLC) is designed to assess effectiveness for thinking about business issues and aligning and executing strategies to drive growth. It offers an opportunity for you to get a high-level assessment of your organization’s strategic thinking capability.

Respond to each of the following statements by checking the number that most accurately reflects your view of that statement. If you believe the statement absolutely reflects your organization or unit, select column 5. If you believe the statement does not reflect your organization or unit at all, select column 1.

Challenging Assumptions

Having an open mind and being willing to challenge accepted beliefs and raise new concerns.

1. We are open to new ways that explore our previously held beliefs.

2. We have a willingness to challenge existing assumptions.

3. Our organization encourages us to express any and all of our views, even if we disagree with top management.

4. We challenge existing assumptions as a mechanism for identifying new business opportunities.

Vital Few

Focus on the vital few issues rather than tackling everything. Analyzing and concluding effectively enhances clarity, directs focus, and promotes balance.

5. We thoroughly understand the issues we need to address before we make decisions on goals/strategies and plans.

6. We identify critical issues and prioritize them effectively.

7. We know how to streamline from many to the few key issues.

8. We prioritize our efforts around the appropriate business issues that will create clear direction.

Facts Versus Opinions

Use facts to make decisions and reach meaningful, valid conclusions; opinions and conjecture do not provide accurate support.

9. In our analysis of information, we are effective in discriminating between fact and opinion.

10. Recommendations are based on facts.

11. We avoid conjecture by employing facts when making decisions.

Scope

Determine the appropriate “scope of analysis” to address the right issues within your control.

12. We are able to clearly and consistently define our most significant business issues in one to two sentences.

13. We know where to direct our efforts when we begin talking about important issues.

14. Our managers and supervisors are able to see the “big picture,” even in the midst of day-to-day tasks and problems.

15. We are aware of the scale (organization, function, team) of the issues we are addressing.

16. We consistently address business issues that are within our control.

Linkage

Connecting ideas both upstream and downstream allows for systematic thinking; what’s up front informs what is to follow.

17. We leverage our internal strengths when making decisions about our business strategies.

18. Project plans link to strategies and have clear accountabilities.

19. Our company’s core strategies are based on a careful review of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges.

20. Our organization is aligned to the strategies that we are pursuing.

21. Our organization consistently delivers on our commitments to each other, our organization, and all of our stakeholders.

Process

A structured approach that employs a common language for identifying business issues.

22. We use one business language with terms that are clear and simple to grasp.

23. We use a common approach throughout the organization to drive change.

24. Our organization has a consistent process for agreeing on deliverables and accountability.

25. We consistently utilize a process for analyzing and prioritizing issues throughout all levels of the organization.

Assessment

Routinely assessing internal and external issues that lead to conclusions and implications for action.

26. We use a set of tools for data collection and organization.

27. We are able to articulate our competitive advantage(s) in the marketplace.

28. Our company can clearly describe what makes us better than or different from our competitors.

29. Our company has a process in place to assess our company’s strengths and weaknesses that is conducted on a regular basis.

30. Our organization reviews our performance against deliverables and accountabilities on a regular basis.

Planning

Creating strategies, measures, and developing initiatives that will successfully address overarching business issues.

31. Our company has established measurable goals and targets, as well as timelines for us to realistically expect results.

32. Our company has a process to ensure that every team has well-developed goals, objectives, and timelines that document their purpose, actions, and results.

33. Our strategies are clear choices that are based on thorough analyses and insights.

34. We are able to clearly articulate the strategic choices we need to make to support our goals.

35. Our organization’s current strategies give us a clear advantage over the competition.