Quiz: What sort of organisation is yours?

What sort of organisation is yours?

1 / 10

1. When your core market changes, how does your organisation respond?

We have a formal process to evaluate the changes and make recommendations as to how to react

We’re right on it, changing our product and approach

We ensure that we continue to offer a good product and good service

We generate a lot of ideas as to how we can respond and how we can better engage with our customers, but we do not necessarily change our product

2 / 10

2. When times get tough, how does your organisation respond?

We tend to cut back on operational areas rather than on management or customer facing departments

We carefully consider reallocation of resources

We grit our teeth and push on. We are already very lean on resources

We focus on continuing to do what we do well, making cutbacks only if necessary

3 / 10

3. What best describes the structure of your organisation?

Our structure and the division of responsibilities is very clear and it is important to respect this.

We focus more on results than on formal structure. Structure and individual responsibilities are fluid

We tend to have a lot of loose working groups rather than relying on a formal structure. Collaboration is key for us

Our structure is driven by practical considerations, to get things done most efficiently

4 / 10

4. How does your organisation tend to respond to changes in the competitive landscape?

We perform comprehensive analysis on the market and generate ideas for changing our sales and marketing approach

We continue to focus on service and delivery as customers always value these

We respond very quickly in any way necessary – via changes in pricing, marketing, product or service as required

We have a process that constantly evaluates the market and recommends any necessary changes

5 / 10

5. How does your organisation maintain its competitive advantage?

The quality of our execution and service ensures that we are always valued by customers

We fight hard and we react quickly and decisively to any changes

We constantly analyse the market to ensure that we stay ahead

Our processes ensure that we maintain the quality of our product and services

6 / 10

6. What are meetings like in your organisation?

Our meetings focus on the practical issues, particularly around delivering for our customers

Our meetings are well run and orderly. We have a clear agenda and all those around the table get a chance to have their say

At our meetings we throw around a lot of ideas and discuss various approaches to any particular issue

Our meetings are to the point and decisive. We take a decision and get on with it

7 / 10

7. How are decisions typically taken in your organisation?

We analyse the problem fully and our decision is guided by the analysis

We ensure that we explore the issue from all angles before making a well considered decision. Reaching the right decision is more important than speed

A few of us get to take a quick decision and then we implement it

We look at all the practical implications before taking any decision

8 / 10

8. How does your organisation win and retain customers?

Our customers are loyal because we get things right the first time

Customers are attracted by the fact that our products are leading edge and are backed by the latest thinking

We go after customers aggressively and we constantly try to win new customers

Customers are attracted to us because of our reputation for high quality products and for consistency

9 / 10

9. What sort of people does your organisation typically hire?

It is essential that our new hires are well organised and are good team players.

We prefer decisive action-oriented people who will roll their sleeves up and do what needs to be done, no matter what that is.

We select people based mainly on their technical knowledge and experience.

We hire the best people who have the brightest ideas.

10 / 10

10. What sort of challenges bring out the best in your organisation? What do you do better than your competitors?

We are great at anything that requires energy and commitment. We move more quickly and more decisively than the competition

We are the true market experts. We stand out from the competition when a deep level of expertise is required to deliver for customers.

We are at our best when fresh thinking and new ideas are required. We out-analyse and out-think the competition

We excel at complex tasks that require a lot of coordination. We can run a more complex processes because we are very well organised

This short quiz is a bit of fun with a serious purpose. It's not 100% accurate, of course, but it should give you some insights into what sort of organisation your company is - or what sort of organisation you want it to be. Answer a few simple questions about how your organisation operates (or how you would like it to operate) and we will tell you which archetype it best fits. Enjoy the quiz.

1 / 10

If an employee breaks the rules, what excuse is most likely to get them forgiven?

They broke the rules to make an extra bit of profit

They broke the rules to score some points against a competitor

They broke the rules to try to make the company's product work better

They were behaving in line with the company's founding principles

They broke the rules to do something extra for a customer

2 / 10

What is the key investment needed to grow your company to the next level?

Investing in whatever will beat the competition

Expanding the sales team and improving the customer experience

Investing in further product development

Improving your purchasing power and investing in more inventory

Investing in staff or equipment that will advance the company's mission and raison d'etre

3 / 10

What is most likely to get praise, a promotion or a bonus in your company?

Advancing the company's mission

Finding a way to beat competitors

Going “above and beyond” for a customer

Making an unexpected extra profit

Making a significant improvement to your product or service

4 / 10

If you are hiring a new junior employee who you hope will learn the business and will go on to make a big contribution to the company in the future, which candidate would you be most impressed by?

The one who shares the same passions as most people in the company

The one who shows genuine interest and passion for your product and/or sector

The one who displays the greatest commercial acumen

The one who shows great interpersonal skills

The most ambitious candidate

5 / 10

Who is the ideal person to lead your business?

A highly commercial person, such as an accountant or a former banker

Someone who is passionate about the same things that people in the company are passionate about

Someone who understands the competitive landscape and how to survive and thrive against strong competition

Someone who really understands the customer base

A technical person who knows everything about the company’s product

6 / 10

What information does your management team always ask for before making an important decision?

An assessment of how it will affect customers and the customer experience

How it will affect your competitive position

What the impact will be on product delivery

How it will impact your company's mission

How it is likely to impact profitability

7 / 10

Who, out of the following, is the most powerful/influential figure in your company [If the CEO plays several of these roles, choose the one that is most important to the CEO]?

The person who drives the company’s competitive strategy

The person who is seen as mainly responsible for driving profitability

The person responsible for sales and customer relations/customer experience

The person who ensures that the company stays focused on what it was founded to achieve

The Chief Engineer/Chief Technician or whoever is responsible for the maintenance, development and production of your core product(s)

8 / 10

If a new customer makes a difficult request, what is your reaction?

You will help the customer if they share your principles and your overall world view

You will only help the customer if it improves your competitive position – e.g. if it is a prestigious account that competitors would love to land

You will help the customer if it makes commercial sense – e.g. if you expect them to become a very profitable account

You will help the customer if it allows you to demonstrate how great your product is

You will always bend over backwards to do everything you can for customers

9 / 10

Who are your most valuable employees?

Those who do the most to advance our company's mission

Those who compete hardest against our competitors

Those who are behind the development of our really great product(s)

Those who provide really great customer service

Those who show the greatest commercial acumen

10 / 10

What key metric is the most important for your Management Team – the thing they are obsessed with?

Progress towards meeting the company's key mission

Profitability

Performance versus competitors

Feedback on how well your product or service is performing for customers

Customer satisfaction data

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