"...Management Associates (has) developed a unique survey process that provides organizations with concrete, numeric measures about cultural issues upon which they are working - issues that are normally considered "soft" and therefore difficult to measure."

Surveys

One of the challenges facing organizations targeting significant growth and development is how to effectively measure progress. This is especially true if the targeted growth involves changing not only what the organization achieves, but how it functions, i.e. its culture.

With this in mind, and in response to client requests for measurement assistance, Management Associates developed a unique survey process that provides organizations with concrete, numeric information about its cultural issues - issues that are normally considered "soft" and therefore difficult to measure.

Surveys always generate data, but data, by itself, does not always generate change. The effectiveness of Management Associates' surveys results from the fact that they are not stand-alone tools but are embedded in a process designed to engage the organization in reflection, conversation, and action. Gathering and analyzing data is only a small part of the survey process. The measurement aspect of the survey is inseparably linked to other process steps that create ownership, stimulate energy, and drive change.

The strength of our particular survey process is that each survey's content is driven by the organization using it. We work in collaboration with the organizational leadership to design the survey items. As a result of this approach the surveys are not based on an external model of how things should be, but rather on the vision that the organization is pursuing. Because managers are involved in the design, they understand the survey's purpose and have ownership in its use. In addition the results provide baseline data for targeting on-going growth and development.

Management Associates provides four types of survey processes:

• General Organization Survey
• Team Survey
• 360 Survey
• Survey Snapshot

Survey process key features

Designed by the client

Each survey is custom designed by the organization, working in collaboration with Management Associates, to ask only those questions that are of importance to them, to probe only those issues that they would be willing to act upon. This means that the resultant survey process is not a standardized program, imported from the outside, but a flexible process designed to meet the specific developmental needs and interests of the client organization, using its own vocabulary, and reflecting its own unique vision, values, mission, and culture.

Generates attention and response

The organization's central involvement in the creation of its own survey generates a widespread interest in its results. People understand that the results are answers to their own questions about issues that they care about. The importance of this sense of involvement and ownership cannot be overstressed in relation to the attention the survey results command and the impact they have.

Understandable and meaningful data

The data for each survey is reported back in a variety of modes that help managers and non-managers alike understand the dynamics affecting the organization. Easily understood reports highlight important differences in perception, identify patterns, and clarify significant comparisons.

Action planning and implementation

Once  survey is completed, it is vital that the insights and challenges uncovered get translated into action. As part of the survey experience, Management Associates guides the process of people developing clear, concrete descriptions of desired new management behaviors, relationships, and interactions, based on analysis of the survey data.

On-going support

Management Associates is available for on-going support following a survey's action planning stage. We can conduct training, provide problem-solving methods, and assist in evaluating the effectiveness of new processes.

Investment

Management Associates does not charge for the use of a survey itself. The only costs involved are for our time in collaboratively preparing a survey, computing and printing reports of the results, and providing on-site feedback. Our standard on-site rates are $2500 per day plus expenses. Our standard rate for work done in office is pro-rated at $1900 per day.